Alliance Deputy Leader Naomi Long MP has said that the Northern Ireland economic package granted by the Prime Minister must be used to deliver a genuine shared future.
Naomi Long MP said: “Our economy and in particular our construction sector has faced a difficult few years. While this economic package will not be a silver bullet, any help and support will be welcomed.
“I am particularly pleased that the Prime Minister has highlighted the potential for the economic growth of research and development in the aerospace industry. Companies like Bombardier have shown themselves to be key components in our economy.
“It was also important that we retained our automatic assisted area status to enable us to access European Funds for projects across Northern Ireland and I was part of a cross-party delegation of MPs who met ministers to make the case for this.
“If we are to maximise the impact which this has it is particularly important that some of the money will specifically go towards helping fund shared future proposals, as it is crucial that we start to address both the costs of division and the inherent instability of living in a segregated community. Those proposals need to be about real integration and not merely models for close proximity segregation which will not fully address this challenge.
“There is an inextricable link between the creation of a shared future and the economic transformation of Northern Ireland. If we merely attempt to manage the divisions then we will not attract the level of investment needed to significantly boost our economy.”
ENDS