The ongoing absence of an Executive and Assembly is having a detrimental effect on investment and the economy in Northern Ireland, Londonderry Chamber President Selina Horshi has said.
Selina Horshi was speaking at the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce’s President’s Annual Lunch which took place at the City Hotel, Derry this afternoon and was sponsored by AIB Merchant Services. With the theme ‘Celebrating Innovation’, the lunch fell during Derry and Strabane Enterprise Week and celebrated entrepreneurs, SMEs, and micro-businesses across the North West.
The lunch gathered over 200 business leaders, political representatives, and invited guests from across the North West and Northern Ireland. Professor Liam Maguire from Ulster University delivered a keynote address on the progress and projects of the Derry and Strabane City Deal before a panel discussion on innovation in the North West including representatives from Seagate, Allstate NI, the Western Trust, and Dirty Souls Restaurant.
Selina Horshi reinforced the impact of the ongoing impasse at Stormont as well as acknowledging the recent Windsor Framework as well as the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. She urged local political representatives to do all they can to facilitate the speedy return of functioning power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
Londonderry Chamber of Commerce President, Selina Horshi, said:
“Today’s lunch was a celebration of the entrepreneurial and enterprising spirit which is endemic in the business community here in the North West. We’ve seen during Derry and Strabane Enterprise Week that there is a strong cluster of start-ups, innovative SMEs, and larger, more established companies here that creates a really exciting ecosystem for businesses to thrive in our region. Local entrepreneurs in the North West are adding serious value to the Northern Irish economy.
“What they need, however, is a stable and certain environment to grow in. The ongoing lack of an Executive and Assembly is deeply regrettable once again. It’s extremely frustrating, for businesses and communities, that our MLAs have not been able to sit at Stormont and pass positive and progressive legislation for nearly a year. This is even more frustrating in the face of challenges like the cost-of-living crisis which have impacted everyone in our society.
“The recent announcement of the Windsor Framework was a positive step in relations between the EU and the UK and we remain cautiously hopeful that an agreed deal can lead to the restoration of the Executive. As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it’s important that we recapture the optimism and hope of 1998 to ensure we can deliver prosperity for our businesses and our communities.”
Hubert O’Dononghue, Vice President, General Manager, AIB Merchant Services added:
“AIB Merchant Services were pleased to support the Londonderry Chamber’s President’s Annual Lunch. In particular, we resonated with today’s theme of ‘Celebrating Innovation’. As one of Ireland’s largest providers of payment solutions, we understand the importance of innovation and developing new ways of rising to challenges. We were delighted to attend today’s lunch and connect with businesses, large and small, from across the North West.”