Trade Minister sets out three year economy plan

Devolution has given us the opportunity to refocus our strengths and work towards ‘Becoming a Modern Economy’, Sir Reg Empey the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, said today.

The Minister was launching his Department’s new Corporate Plan 2002 –2005, the first since he took office in December 1999.

He said: “I am launching our Corporate Plan to take us through the next three years. Its strap line ‘Becoming a Modern Economy’ has been chosen deliberately - we are on the way to making this a reality, but we are not there yet.”

The Plan sets out DETI’s strategic direction and, in particular, how they intend to support the key objectives of the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme for Government in securing a competitive economy for Northern Ireland.

“With Devolution we can look to the future and build towards the realisation of a balanced, competitive, innovative, knowledge-based, fast growing economy,” the minister said.

Sir Reg Empey explained that the Corporate Plan places a new emphasis on DETI’s role in policy development.

“For this to be successful we need a refocused commitment to policy; a well researched foundation to our work based on the evidence of sound economic analysis; and development of effective two way channels of communication with all key players. Our partners will be other Departments, agencies, the Assembly, the ETI Committee, business organisations, trades unions, district councils, the voluntary and community sectors and the universities and economic research bodies.”

The Minister said that the Plan heralded a radical new way of working commencing with the establishment of two vibrant organisations, Invest Northern Ireland and a newly aligned Department.

He said this would enable clearer policy development and service delivery, with the Department giving new impetus to economic development policy and supporting economic research.

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