A delegation of Northern Ireland’s leading business, construction and housing organisations convened with the Finance and Infrastructure Ministers today (Wednesday), to discuss solutions to the ‘critical and complex challenge’ of funding Northern Ireland’s ageing wastewater infrastructure.
Representatives from NI Chamber, the Construction Employers Federation (CEF) and the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA), met Ministers to highlight major shortfalls in capital funding, which the business leaders say is the most ‘significant, cross-cutting challenge facing Northern Ireland.’
Speaking after the meeting, Suzanne Wylie (NI Chamber), Mark Spence (CEF) and Seamus Leheny (NIFHA) said:
“Wastewater infrastructure is critical to the delivery of health, education, housing and business expansion. It supports the creation of jobs, employment and economic growth, and is essential to protecting the environment and human health. However, the capital budget available to tackle significant capacity constraints remains wholly inadequate and is insufficient to address long-standing underinvestment in Northern Ireland’s ageing wastewater infrastructure.
“We welcome the opportunity to discuss the critical challenge with Minister O’Dowd and Minister Kimmins early in their new Ministerial positions. These issues, which cut across the aspirations of providing more social and affordable housing and growing a globally competitive sustainable economy, both key priorities in the draft Programme for Government, demand the urgent attention of the Executive as a whole.
“Today we made clear to Ministers that, together, NI Chamber, the Construction Employers Federation and the NI Federation of Housing Associations stand ready to work in partnership with the Executive to address the immediate challenges and find a landing zone on a long-term sustainable funding model.”