BY AILEEN MURPHY
The issue of how Invest Northern Ireland distribute their funds is causing a a debate between the two Ministers from this constituency.
Speaking in the Assembly, Michelle Gildernew criticised Invest NI for their failure to address regional inequalities in investment across Fermanagh South Tyrone, and she hit out at the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster for her strong support of the organisation.
Meanwhile, Mrs Foster responded to the criticism, saying: "Invest Northern Ireland has played a significant role in the economic success of Fermanagh and South Tyrone."
Later, speaking in the Assembly, Ms Gildernew hit out at Mrs Foster saying: "The Minister's strong support for Invest NI is yet another example of the worst excesses of 'Big House' unionism riding roughshod over the objective needs of the working class and socially deprived unionists and republicans throughout the constituency of Fermanagh South Tyrone."
Ms Gildernew went on: "According to figures published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Fermanagh South Tyrone experiences an economic inactivity rate of 36% compared with an economic inactivity rate of 17% for East Belfast and 19% for East Antrim.
"DeTI also recorded that he number of new jobs promoted by first-time inward investment projects sponsored by Invest NI over the last decade was just 641 in Fermanagh South Tyrone compared with 4,748 jobs in South Belfast."
Ms Gildernew went on: "The Programme for Government pledged all Government Departments and agencies, including Invest NI, 'to develop new and innovative measures that will address existing patterns of socio-economic disadvantage and target resources and efforts towards those in greatest objective need'.
"The very failure to provide investment and, therefore, jobs is a glaring example of over 90 years of disadvantage into areas such as Fermanagh/South Tyrone. This cannot be allowed to continue, and my Party (Sinn Féin) will strive to deliver inward investment across the board to raise all other regions to the level that Invest NI have given some privileged and protected areas.
In response, the Minister of Enterprise Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster insisted that, since its inception in 2002, Invest Northern Ireland had played a significant role in the economic success of Fermanagh and South Tyrone parliamentary constituency area (PCA), as it had done for Northern Ireland as a whole.
"At mid-August 2008', she stated, " Invest NI had 2,469 clients in the area, with the 10 largest clients employing around 5,000 staff. Between 2002/03 and 2007/08, £34m of assistance was offered to Invest NI client companies in the area towards total planned investment of £214.3m. "This equates to £2,731 of planned investment per head of adult population, greater than the Northern Ireland average of £2,384 per head and the sixth highest rate of any PCA."
She further explained that over £10m was offered towards inward investment projects that were planning to invest almost £60m, creating 1,124 jobs and safeguarding 317. This, she submitted, was the seventh highest rate of planned inward investment per head of all the constituency areas in Northern Ireland.
Mrs Foster added: "Invest NI has also helped to nurture and develop the wealth of entrepreneurial spirit in the area. Business start-up activity was the highest of all PCAs at 210 per 10,000 of adult population and significantly above the NI rate of 136.
"Overall business activity in the area between 2002 and 2006 also increased, with a net gain of 400 new VAT-registered businesses. This contributed to the 5% increase in employment levels in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, higher than the NI rate of 4%. The proportion of the working population claiming benefits is also lower than the NI average at 1.9% compared to 2.3%."
