Alliance East Belfast MLAs have said the sale of Bombardier NI to Spirit AeroSystems is a tribute to workers at the company.

The sale, which will complete at the end of this week, will see Spirit acquire Bombardier’s operations in Belfast, as well as Morocco and the United States. Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA said it was a welcome move.

“It has been a tough few years for workers at Bombardier, who have faced a number of crises not of their own making. Therefore this news is welcome and a sigh of relief for many,” she said.

“The sale and indeed the global reputation of Bombardier’s work is a tribute to the workers at the East Belfast plant and further afield. I hope they are able to now plan more steadily for the future, safe in the knowledge they have had their future secured despite global factors. The UK Government now needs to commit further to supporting the aerospace sector, helping it transition towards a green future.”

“There is no doubt there are major challenges facing the global aerospace industry, chiefly among them the ongoing pandemic. But today’s news is a good outcome and one which goes a long way towards stabilising the future of world-class aerospace engineering and supply in Northern Ireland,” added East Belfast MLA Chris Lyttle.