More civil service jobs will be moved to Derry under plans being pursued by Finance Minister Conor Murphy, Foyle Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson has revealed.

The Foyle MLA said:

“The hugely successful decision by Sinn Féin’s then Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill to move her departmental headquarters to Ballykelly proved the benefits of decentralising public sector jobs, not only for the workers themselves but the boost it brings to regional economies. 

“The onset of Covid and our climate crisis have further demonstrated the need for the Executive to reassess working arrangements for civil servants in other departments.

“Therefore I am delighted the Minister confirmed to me that his department has begun planning to establish a number of regional hubs which would allow civil servants to work in centralised workspaces located much closer to their homes, sparing them the often long and stressful commute to Belfast. 

“The plan will also have the added benefit of reducing carbon emissions through a huge reduction in the number of workers travelling long distances to work.

“I have asked the Minister to consider both Fort George and Ebrington as possible locations for a North West regional hub to ensure that workers in Derry, are able to benefit from the proposed scheme in the coming years.”