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19/02/2016
Causeway Coast 'Bursting With Enterprise Potential' - DFM
The Causeway Coast is "bursting with enterprise potential", Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has told a meeting of the Causeway Chamber of Commerce in Portrush.
Speaking at a Commerce Dinner on Thursday evening, Mr McGuinness said: "Chamber of Commerce events like this in Portrush tonight are important if we are to grow the economy, create employment and ensure our young people have the skills they require and which the marketplace needs.
"We need to listen to, and learn from, those of you who are at the coal face of the economy. And when we do that, when we all work together, things get done.
"This Executive has created more than 40,000 jobs, spent over £90million a week delivering the range of health and social care services across the north, stopped the introduction of water charges, kept our rates bill lower than the rest of the UK, kept prescriptions free for everyone and protected free domiciliary care.
"In addition, we have supported our students with tuition fees for local students at Queen’s and Ulster University which are a third lower than those studying in England. We have stopped the introduction of the bedroom tax, unlike the rest of the UK, prevented unmitigated welfare cuts through agreeing a range of welfare changes to continue to support the most vulnerable across society, and provided free travel for pensioners."
The Minister added: "We will continue to work with you to create the conditions for businesses to thrive and people to have jobs which enable them to provide for their families. Across this Programme for Government Invest NI has helped leverage £66million of investment in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area benefitting the local economy and supported projects which promoted over 1,206 new jobs. The Fresh Start Agreement included a commitment to reduce the Corporation Tax rate to 12.5% from April 2018 which, along with other key drivers of our Economic Strategy, has the potential to propel the local economy forward."
(MH)
Speaking at a Commerce Dinner on Thursday evening, Mr McGuinness said: "Chamber of Commerce events like this in Portrush tonight are important if we are to grow the economy, create employment and ensure our young people have the skills they require and which the marketplace needs.
"We need to listen to, and learn from, those of you who are at the coal face of the economy. And when we do that, when we all work together, things get done.
"This Executive has created more than 40,000 jobs, spent over £90million a week delivering the range of health and social care services across the north, stopped the introduction of water charges, kept our rates bill lower than the rest of the UK, kept prescriptions free for everyone and protected free domiciliary care.
"In addition, we have supported our students with tuition fees for local students at Queen’s and Ulster University which are a third lower than those studying in England. We have stopped the introduction of the bedroom tax, unlike the rest of the UK, prevented unmitigated welfare cuts through agreeing a range of welfare changes to continue to support the most vulnerable across society, and provided free travel for pensioners."
The Minister added: "We will continue to work with you to create the conditions for businesses to thrive and people to have jobs which enable them to provide for their families. Across this Programme for Government Invest NI has helped leverage £66million of investment in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area benefitting the local economy and supported projects which promoted over 1,206 new jobs. The Fresh Start Agreement included a commitment to reduce the Corporation Tax rate to 12.5% from April 2018 which, along with other key drivers of our Economic Strategy, has the potential to propel the local economy forward."
(MH)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Showers, scattered in the evening, will clear by midnight leaving the night dry with clear spells. Perhaps a touch of ground frost. Cloud will spread east towards morning. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
