968 FDI visits to rest of NI, 8 to North Antrim in last 5 years

Statement by TUV MLA Jim Allister:-

“DUP DETI Minister, Jonathan Bell, in the aftermath of the closure announcement from Michelin, was anxious to portray how generous Invest NI had been to the company by proclaiming £4.7m had been offered to the company.

“However, an answer to an Assembly Question⁽¹⁾ I tabled has revealed that more than half of the amount boasted of was offered over 8 years ago and in the last 3 years the figure offered was only £1.5m. It is important that this perspective is established.

“Mr Bell also sought to make much of 23 FDI visits to Mid & East Antrim in the last 5 years. But, again, an Assembly Answers have confirmed only 8 of these were to North Antrim, which includes Ballymena, Ballymoney and Bushmills. But what the minister didn’t say that in the same 5 year period there were 968 FDI visits to other constituencies!⁽²⁾ In the five year period North Antrim had less than 1% of all the FDI visits to Northern Ireland. This speaks of scandalous neglect of North Antrim by Invest NI in terms of Foreign Direct Investment, and that under DUP rule.”

Notes

⁽¹⁾ http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/questions/writtensearchresults.aspx?&qf=0&qfv=1&ref=AQW50350/11-16

⁽²⁾ http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/questions/printquestionsummary.aspx?docid=108713

http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/questions/writtensearchresults.aspx?&qf=0&qfv=1&ref=AQW37252/11-15