North West Economic 'Crisis' Debated

During an Assembly debate on the economy this week, Ulster Unionist MLA Leslie Cree (pictured) has recognised the impact upon the North West region of Northern Ireland - but has also criticised a Sinn Féin motion which suggests it has been hit disproportionately harder than other constituencies.

He was speaking soon after the Foyle MLA Martina Anderson urged all parties to support a Sinn Féin Assembly motion calling for the North West to be declared "an area of special economic need".

The motion - tabled by Ms. Anderson and fellow North West Sinn Féin MLAs Francie Brolly, Pat Doherty and Claire McGill - was debated on Tuesday.

Ms. Anderson said: "Derry is the second largest city in the North and the fourth largest on the island. It could and should be a driving force for the whole economy – not an economic backwater.

"Just think what they could achieve – not just for the North-West, but for the entire economy – if this administration was prepared to adopt new and innovative measures to assist the region," she said.

However, speaking during the debate, Leslie Cree - who sits on the DETI committee said: "Job losses have been significant and concentrated in areas such as Antrim, Belfast and Mid Ulster and the UUP recognises and is committed to address that the North West has started this recession from a much weaker position.

"There is clear evidence that the North West is suffering economically," he continued, noting that economic deprivation can lead to social breakdown, ill health and inequalities, but he questioned the feasibility of declaring the North West an area of special economic need and said that this would not "on its own deliver results".

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has also accused the Ulster Unionist Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey of 'reneging' on plans to develop Magee University.

Martina Anderson was speaking after a Ministerial response to her request for additional funds for Magee's development plan in here Foyle constituency and an increase in the number of students at the Derry campus.

"Despite his words of empathy for the North West at a meeting in the immediate aftermath of the Stream job loss announcement, the Minister doesn't seem to understand the potential of the university as an economic driver for recovery in this region," the MLA said.

"He ruled out any additional funds to support an expansion of student numbers and would only give a notional commitment to support bidding for additional resources as part of the next Comprehensive Spending Review round," she fumed.

(BMcC/KMcA)