Anna Lo MLA said: “I am shocked and angered at these remarks from Henry Reilly. Comments like these send out a terrible message about Northern Ireland .
“We are doing our utmost to try and attract businesses from across the globe to come and create jobs here, and comments like this do not help these efforts. Northern Ireland is a society that is changing for the better and that is because we are looking outward and we must continue to do so.
“Previously we have had certain comments from Sammy Wilson, now we have these different remarks from Henry Reilly. When are some politicians going to learn that cheap political stunts do Northern Ireland no favours at all.
“Migrants play an extremely important role in our society and our economy and we need to do everything we can to make them feel welcome here. Northern Ireland needs to continue to build a genuinely shared society encompassing people from all backgrounds if we are to move forward to a more prosperous and better future.”
ENDS