Seán Neeson MLA said: “I am very pleased to get the issue of a Green New Deal for Northern Ireland on the Assembly agenda.
“This is an extremely tough time as regards our job market and we need to see pro-active strategies put in place here to help create employment opportunities. Creating a Green New Deal will not only deliver jobs but will also help protect our environment.
“This strategy would provide us with a great opportunity to make Northern Ireland a global leader in sustainability. You only have to look at the excellent and lucrative work that Harland and Wolff do now to see the massive potential in this sector.
“We already have excellent natural resources in wind and the tides to generate a massive amount of renewable energy. We need to harness this and make the most of our climate. Through the creation of home insulation schemes we can bolster our construction sector and through investment in research and development we can grow our renewables sector.
“I hope all other parties support this motion today and I hope a pledge is provided by the Minister to create a Green New Deal as soon as possible. This potential and this massive opportunity cannot be lost through failure to create such a strategy.”
ENDS