Stormont leaders press for resumption of two growth deals in Northern Ireland
The Mid South West Region deal had been due to see its heads of terms agreement signed on Wednesday.
Stormont’s leaders have said they are continuing to press the UK government to lift the pausing of two growth deals in Northern Ireland.
The Mid South West Region deal had been due to see its heads of terms agreement signed on Wednesday.
Instead, Stormont ministers and deal partners gathered at the Event Space, Hill Of The O’Neill and Ranfurly House in Dungannon and issued a joint call for the pause to be lifted.
Last month, the Westminster Government announced that four city and growth deals in the region would be paused.
It later emerged that the Belfast and the Londonderry and Strabane deals would not be affected because those deals were at a later stage.
However, two other deals, which cover Causeway Coast and Glens and the Mid South West region, are awaiting the conclusion of Labour’s spending review at the end of this month to hear whether the funding pause will be lifted.
The deals, which advance investment and infrastructure projects in specific areas, involve bespoke funding arrangements between the Treasury, the Stormont Executive and local partners.
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Hilary Benn indicated that an update on the deals is expected on October 30.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that she and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly were in attendance at the event in Tyrone on Wednesday morning in support of the deal.
“It’s a hugely significant economic driver for this area, and unfortunately today is the day when we should have been signing the heads of terms agreement. That is now not the case given the fact the British Government has paused it,” she said.
“We have raised this over the course of recent days with both the British Prime Minister and the Chancellor in terms of the need for the pause to be lifted and we await the October statement and hope for some positive news in terms of this deal going ahead.”
Ms Little-Pengelly added: “We know that this has the potential to bring significant economic benefit to this wider area.
“It’s essential if we want to grow the economy of Northern Ireland to really put the prosperity agenda right at the heart of our programme for government that we are able to unpause these deals.”
Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald said they will continue to lobby the UK government for the “right decision” for both deals which remain paused.
“I’ve given my commitment to the deal partners that I will have their backs, I will fight their corner and that I will raise it at every opportunity, and I have done that in terms of all of my engagement with Treasury,” she said.
“The Executive has reaffirmed its commitment to the funding of the growth deals and we will continue to work collectively with the deal partners to ensure as much as we possibly can that the right decision is made in relation to these deals.”
