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Invest NI have replied to a statement from Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty that claimed the organisation is too 'Belfast centred'. Invest NI said that 75% of the businesses supported in the past five years were outside Belfast.
Mr McNulty in his statement questioned if the organisation in its present form is genuinely fit for purpose. "Invent NI is too Belfast Centred, it is investing millions in a small number of constituencies and is ignoring any area beyond the greater Belfast region. It makes me question if the organisation is fit for purpose. Does Invest NI know that areas outside Belfast exist and is the Executive aware of what is really going on in its own Business Development Agency." said the MLA
Mr McNulty added "I have sought information from the Economy Minister Diane Dodds and I was stunned but at the same time not surprised as so many businesses I know have been drawing blanks when they have sought support from Invest NI. In the 2017/2018 year Invest NI ploughed £13,200,000 into South Belfast and yet only £100,000 in Newry and Armagh. It hosted 158 Foreign Direct Investment Visits in South Belfast compared to just 1 in Newry and Armagh."
In their reply an Invest NI Spokesperson said “There is no bias to any region and no directing of investment to any one area. We are actively working with all 11 councils to support economic growth across Northern Ireland. In the Newry, Mourne & Down area this work has resulted in over 1,700 new jobs and over £200m of investment in the area in the last five years.”
The spokesperson added “We also do not ‘plough’ money into selected areas. Our support is demand driven – i.e. it depends on businesses approaching us for support. In the last five years 75 per cent of the businesses we supported have been located outside Belfast."
Stating Invest NI figures the Newry and Armagh MLA said "In 2018/2019 it hosted 181 Foreign Direct Investment visits to South Belfast and an investment of £15,000,000 compared to only 1 FDI Visit to Newry and Armagh and £60,000 of support. In 2019/2020 it hosted 120 FDI visits to South Belfast, just 2 in Newry and Armagh and for every job it created in West Belfast it provided £13,000 of support compared to only £269 per job in Newry and Armagh."
Mr McNulty concluded "Invest NI and the Executive have an abysmal record in attracting job and investment anywhere beyond the outer-ring of South and East Belfast. We deserve better and we deserve equality. I cannot understand why this Executive can stand over such an appalling record. Invest NI is too Belfast centred, it is failing border communities and is failing rural communities. We need to see a fundamental reform of Invest NI and the Executive’s Investment Strategy. We are all rate payers and we are all tax payers. We deserve and demand equal treatment and it must be delivered."
Invest NI in their reply added “Where inward investors choose to locate is the decision of the company and based on their needs – such as Glantus, a new investor announced just last month which is creating 15 new jobs in Newry."
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First Derivatives have announced that it has been named an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Advanced Consulting Partner.
Commenting on the announcement, David Collins, Managing Director at First Derivatives said: “We are delighted to achieve the AWS Advanced Consulting Partner status. We leverage the power of AWS to help customers modernize processes and derive additional value from their data. We look forward to a continued strengthening of our relationship with AWS.”
First Derivatives employs over 2400 people worldwide and the announcement underscores FD’s expertise and experience supporting clients with their cloud-based digital transformation initiatives, particularly in the financial services sector.
With a combination of innovative tools and highly qualified consultants – both onsite and nearshore – FD’s cloud transition capabilities for AWS deliver in these key areas:
To date, FD has over 120 AWS certified consultants with a stated mission of training up to 2,000 consultants to help clients safely migrate their critical systems to the Cloud.
The announcement forms part of FD’s stated strategy of enhancing knowledge and services offerings in the areas of compliance, data management, risk, regulatory reporting, trading technology and Financial Services ISVs with cloud expertise.
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A new publication is showcasing several of the districts development opportunities to potential investors across the globe.
The Belfast Region Investment Guide documents 27 opportunities suitable for industrial, logistics, regeneration, or tourism development, two of them in Newry City.
Describing Newry the guide says "Newry, Mourne and Down District Council occupies the southeast of Northern Ireland, which includes southern County Armagh and a large part of County Down. The area is strategically placed, being approximately 45 minutes from both Belfast and Dublin on the A1 Euro Route. This district council has a population of approximately 107,000 people.
"It incorporates the majestic Mourne Mountains an area of outstanding natural beauty and has an extensive coastline stretching from Strangford Lough to Carlingford Lough."
The two opportunities showcased for Newry City are North Street, Newry and Carnmeen Lands.
The vacant 1.8 acre North Street site, used presently as a temporary car park has been highlighted as a regeneration opportunity. The listing describes the site as a cleared brownfield space, ripe for redevelopment. It suggests it would be suitable for a variety of uses, including retail, office accommodation, a hotel or for housing.
Forty acres of land at Carnmeen immediately adjacent to the Invest Northern Ireland lands at Newry are suggested as a Logistics / Manufacturing opportunity. Describing the site the listing says "The subject lands offer a unique opportunity to develop a dynamic, employment generating business and education campus on a large greenfield site. The land is in a strategic location with profile and direct access onto the Dublin Belfast M1 corridor at Newry. The connectivity to the cities of Dublin and Belfast and their airports and ports, as well as access to potential employees from both locations, is a very significant advantage of this location for potential occupiers and investors. Potential uses suggested for the site include industrial logistics, manufacturing and offices. The current planning application is for B1 office and B2 Light Industrial."
Speaking about the Guide Councillor Laura Devlin, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said “We have been working with our City Deal Council partners to position the Belfast City Deal Region as a prime location for global investment, tourism and regeneration. As a Region we bring together a range of exciting real estate opportunities for developers and investors, which are brought together in the Belfast Region Investment Guide 2021 which is launched today. This guide also sets out the key reasons why the time is right for investing in our Region, including our strategic location, the availability of skills and talented labour, and the strength of our innovative and resilient entrepreneurial base.”
Also listed is the 3.76 acre Mount Caulfield House Site at Bessbrook described as a Tourism / Leisure / Residential opportunity suggesting the site would be suitable for a mixed development opportunity, for tourism in the form of a guest house or hotel with possible rental holiday cottages or housing development.
Downpatrick Police Station and Mourne Park Estate, Kilkeel are also included.
View the guide below.
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A number of new Civil Service Regional Hubs throughout the north have been announced today by Stormont Finance Minister, Conor Murphy. Newry has been named as a location for one of the hubs and it's expected to open in 2023 while others are planned to open in the spring.
Named 'Connect2' the first hubs are expected to open in Ballykelly and Downpatrick in the spring although they will only become operational when appropriate in line with Health advice and Health Protection Regulations.
There are plans for additional hubs in Ballymena, Craigavon, Omagh, and the Antrim/Newtownabbey area next year. Projects in Newry, Derry, Enniskillen and the Bangor/Newtownards area are planned for 2023.
Commenting on the economic and environmental benefits, Finance Minister Conor Murphy said:“These regional hubs will transform how civil servants work – enabling them to be based closer to home, reducing travel time and lowering carbon emissions while importantly promoting regional economic balance.
“COVID-19 has seen an unprecedented shift in how the civil service works with many public services being delivered remotely. We now have an opportunity to build on these new ways of working.
“These hubs are an exciting development in how the civil service estate operates and present a huge opportunity to make a positive impact on local economies, the environment as well as the health and wellbeing of our staff.”
“We are working collaboratively with Councils to maximise the local regeneration impact and to establish the hubs as soon as possible. I ask all elected representatives to support us in this work.”
There will continue to be a significant civil service presence within Belfast city centre.
Welcoming the announcement of the ‘Connect2’ project Conor Dowds, Co-Chair of the Cross-Border Workers Coalition (CBWC) said “The creation of these regional hubs will give civil service staff more flexible working arrangements and illustrates a growing trend towards remote work accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. For those living outside Belfast, the opportunity of ‘blended’ working arrangements, where you can work from home one day and go to a co-working space on another, will be very attractive.”
“However, due to restrictive personal tax liability rules in the Republic of Ireland, cross-border workers who live in the Republic and work in NI will be left behind and unable to gain the significant benefits of ‘blended’ working arrangements. If a Donegal-based civil servant, for example, attends a regional hub in Derry four days a week, but works from home on a Friday, under current RoI legislation he/she could be taxed twice on their income.”
“For these regional hubs to fully accommodate the ‘new normal’ of post-pandemic working practices, these restrictive personal tax laws in the Republic must change. On Wednesday 16 February we sent a letter requesting to meet with Irish Finance Minister Donohoe to examine current remote working tax legislation in the Republic. We now ask Finance Minister Murphy to work with his southern counterpart to ensure that cross-border workers are not left behind in this welcome project.”
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A major cross border conference in March jointly hosted by Newry and Dundalk and Chambers, will focus on sustaining and building cross border trade post Brexit.
With over 200 people already registered to attend the online event, the conference will include contributions from An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, TD and Finance Minister, Conor Murphy, MLA.
Recognising the importance of the conference, it is supported by InterTradeIreland, Louth County Council, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Local Enterprise Office Louth, and the M1 Corridor Project.
Speaking at the launch of the conference, Sean Farrell, President Dundalk Chamber said “Just over two months after the end of the transition period this cross-border conference will provide businesses with an update on the challenges, opportunities and support that is available. Dundalk – Newry is an important economic region. In this post Brexit period, it is vital that we work to ensure that businesses in this border region have the support to help them grow.”
Welcoming the opportunity to work again with Dundalk Chamber on this important cross border conference, President of Newry Chamber, Emma Mullen-Marmion said:
“Now more than ever it is important that we reinforce messages around cross border cooperation and trade. Despite Brexit, the relationship between our two chambers remains strong and we are committed to ensuring the gains of the last 20 years and the development of the All-Ireland economy are not lost.”
Other confirmed speakers include Oliver Mangan, Chief Economist at AIB, who will provide an overview of the Irish Economy post Brexit and COVID-19. The Chief Executive of Newry Mourne and Down Council, Marie Ward and the Chief Executive of Louth County Council, Joan Martin, will deliver a joint presentation on the theme of Newry-Dundalk, A Prospectus for Growth.
The conference will also provide a range of supports and advice to local businesses on building cross border trade. Welcoming their involvement in the programme, Margaret Hearty, Director of Programmes & Business Services at InterTradeIreland said:
InterTradeIreland is proud to sponsor the Newry & Dundalk Chamber’s annual cross-border conference. This year’s event, which focuses on the topic of sustaining and building cross-border trade, will provide valuable information and guidance to cross border-border companies who may be concerned about adjusting to the new trading environment. The good news however is that there are supports available, including our dedicated Brexit Advisory Service team, who continue to offer support and advice to cross-border traders during these challenging times.
The conference recognises the important role for local councils in developing and sustaining cross border cooperation. Louth and Newry Mourne and Down Councils are also principal sponsors of the Conference.
Welcoming the conference’s focus on cross border cooperation, Councillor Laura Devlin, Chair of Newry, Mourne and Down Council said: “Local Government has an important role to play in the economic recovery and growth of our cross-border region. Despite Brexit, there are real opportunities for businesses to grow their cross-border trade and to benefit from our unique position on the Eastern Economic Corridor.
Speaking at the launch, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Councillor Dolores Minogue said: “I am delighted to support this conference, which builds on the continuing North-South cooperation in the region. I look forward to jointly opening the event on 10th March and to welcoming local businesses looking to develop trade opportunities North–South and East–West.
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Poundland in Newry is reopening in the Buttercrane Shopping Centre, Newry from this Friday 26 February after its closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company announced it will begin re-awakening its hibernating Buttercrane store from 8am on Friday February 26. It is reopening four NI stores in total.
Poundland has kept the vast majority of its stores open for essential shopping across the UK throughout the pandemic but placed some stores back in hibernation in January as customer numbers dropped sharply when nearby non-essential retailers closed.
In anticipation that the pathway-to-recovery plan, to be announced by the Executive on Monday March 1, will outline a journey towards normality, Newry staff along with colleagues in Belfast’s Castlecourt Shopping Centre, Derry Ferryquay Street and Enniskillen’s Erneside Shopping Centre will return to work today (Tuesday) to prepare the store for opening on Friday.
Poundland is working closely with landlords and shopping centres on re-opening plans.
Dubbed “Operation Spring Back”, all 29 stores coming out of hibernation across the UK will reopen to customers with the robust health and safety measures that have been in operation throughout the pandemic.
Poundland retail director, Austin Cooke, said: “We’re proud to have kept most of our stores open serving our communities with the essentials they need, but in some places, we couldn’t stay open when so many of our neighbours were forced to close.
“The roadmap will hopefully give clarity to retailers and our town centres which have such an important role to play in our recovery. Our colleagues and customers will be delighted that we’re reopening in these locations, and so are we.
“Safety continues to be our first priority, and shoppers can return with confidence - we’re well versed in making our stores safe places to shop. We’re all looking forward to giving them a warm welcome as they return.”
Like all Poundland stores, the reopened stores will operate to the highest standards of safety with barrier screens at checkouts and thorough and regular cleaning regimes applied across the day.
Customers are asked to observe government guidelines on social distancing and wearing masks.
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Simply Fit Food, a supplier of convenience meals made from wholesome natural ingredients owned by Around Noon, has secured an important listing with Tesco Ireland.
Around Noon has been in business for 30 years and employs over 300 people. It supplies a broad range of high-quality sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit pots and cold-pressed juices to customers including forecourt and convenience retailers and cafes. It acquired Simply Fit Food in October 2020 and Simply Fit Food continues to trade under its existing brand within the Around Noon group.
The company - founded by Evelyn Garland and Luke Judge will supply its range of healthy Power Bowls to a select number of Tesco stores in the Republic of Ireland.
It is the first listing the company has secured with Tesco and represents a significant opportunity to further expand its business with the company.
Simply Fit Food’s Power Bowls are designed for busy people who want a convenient, tasty and nutritious meal. They come in three vegan/veggie flavours - Thai Veg, Bean Chilli and Lentil Dahl. Each meal includes three of your ‘five a day’.
Evelyn Garland, co-founder of Simply Fit Food said: “Tesco is obviously a huge name in the grocery market with over 150 stores in Ireland. Securing the listing with Tesco is a fantastic endorsement of our product and brand and represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our reach and customer base. In addition to expanding the number of stores our Power Bowls are in, we will also be aiming to expand our range for customers.”
“Our Power Bowls have proven really popular, including with ‘flexitarian’ customers who want to eat one or two fewer meals containing meat a week. These customers are seeking more variety in their diet and this range is providing that. We, therefore, expect the Power Bowls to do really well in Tesco stores,” she adds.
John Brennan, Tesco Ireland added, “At Tesco, we are always looking to add a variety of products to our range that will provide options for our customers. We look forward to working with Simply Fit Food and bringing these three tasty Power Bowl options to customers across the country.”
In December, Simply Fit Food won the Rising Star Category of the 2020 Irish Food Quality Awards (IQFA).
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It is expected that UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak will confirm later today that he is extending the Furlough Scheme to the end of September 2021 as part of today's Budget announcements.
It will be the fifth furlough extension and Beyond HR Managing Director Neil McLeese explains what this means for businesses across the country.
"The scheme, in which the government pays up to 80% of employee wages, up to £2,500 a month, was supposed to end on 31 March before being extended until the end of April 2021 following the tightening of restrictions due to an increase in Covid cases.
"However, as the vaccination programme continues to flourish, with all adults projected to receive their jabs before 31st July it appears likely that we will see a semblance of normality going into the second half of the year.
"Therefore, this is likely to be the last extension of the job retention scheme, news that will be welcomed by employers and employees alike. Many businesses are unable to open due to the tightened measures and the current plans to end the furlough scheme in April puts huge financial pressure on employers. The reality is, without the support, many businesses may be forced to close permanently."
Mr McLeese added "With many businesses struggling to navigate their new landscape post Covid-19, extending the scheme may allow them to avoid starting redundancy processes, where they are forced to reduce their workforce, including trained and experienced employees.
"Redundancy can be expensive, time consuming and emotionally challenging for all parties involved and it is not something firms want to venture into without a clear longer-term view. With things set to improve in the latter part of the year, demand for their offering may increase, forcing companies to go through recruitment and induction processes that can be costly and time-consuming."
The extension of the job retention scheme will give businesses the opportunity to future-proof their business putting clear strategies in place that will ensure longevity and survival.
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Newry Chamber of Commerce are hosting a webinar tomorrow as part of their International Womens Day celebrations.
Multi award-winning Dublin Businesswoman and Social Entrepreneur, Deborah Somorin ACA will be in conversation with Sarah Travers.
Listen to her incredible personal and inspirational story of resilience, managing diversity and achieving her personal ambition of becoming a Chartered Accountant.
Deborah was born in the UK and raised in both London and Lagos, Nigeria. At the age of 10 she moved to Naas, Co. Kildare with her mother and younger siblings.
By 13 she was homeless, pregnant at 14, lost her mother tragically at 16, yet went on to achieve her Masters in Accountancy at 22. At the age of 24, she achieved her Chartered Accountancy Exams at the first attempt.
Following her appearance on RTE’s Late Late Show in 2018, she established the charity, Empower the Family, with the mission to support disadvantaged young people to successfully complete their University Education.
In her short career, she has received multiple awards for her social entrepreneurship and humanitarian work. In 2020, she was named on the prestigious international Forbes “Under 30 List” for her social entrepreneurship and humanitarian work.
Event is via Zoom on Friday 5th March 2021 at 1pm.
Chamber of Commerce members are free while it's £20 + VAT for non members.
Register at NDEVENTS.CO.UK
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