Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson said today that Invest NI and the Economy Minister need to get serious about delivering investment and jobs to Derry in line with their responsibilities to citizens and to redressing regional inequalities.

The party’s spokesperson on promoting regional equality was speaking after receiving confirmation that Invest has created only 29 jobs in Derry this year.

Martina Anderson said:

“Invest NI’s continued abysmal failure on job creation in the north west is laid bare in the response I have just received from the DUP Economy Minister Diane Dodds.

“Her answer confirmed that just 29 jobs have been created in the Foyle constituency since January. And while we all understand the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic, almost 1200 jobs were created in Belfast during the same period.

“That is simply unacceptable from a public organisation in receipt of hundreds of millions of public money every year and which has had a sub-regional group in place for five years to supposedly drive investment into Derry. 

“The Executive is committed under its New Decade New Approach to delivering economic growth inclusively and based on objective need. 

“I will be seeking urgent discussions with the InvestNI International team who arrange visits by Foreign Direct Investors to ensure that the Foyle constituency is being promoted properly in international markets.

“Invest NI and the Economy Minister now need to get serious about that commitment and start delivering investment and jobs to Derry in line with their responsibilities to citizens and to redressing regional inequalities.”