Catholic areas ‘not receiving fair share of Invest NI funds’
Sinn Féin has claimed that certain Catholic areas in the North are not receiving a fair share of British Government funding designed to encourage investment.
The party said the latest annual report from the Invest NI organisation showed that Catholic areas west of the River Bann, along the border and in north and west Belfast were not receiving the levels of funding they deserve.
It said west Belfast received fewer offers of financial assistance than any other area, while five border constituencies received less in total than relatively affluent south Belfast.
Sinn Féin also said the seven constituencies west of the Bann had received just 10% of the assistance given in the past and were only due to receive 10% of future investment.
The party claimed the available resources were being unfairly targeted towards areas where unemployment is already low.
Invest NI has denied the accusation, saying it targets resources towards the most deprived areas.
The body said it offered £68m to assist businesses in the poorest areas of the North last year, which accounts for 57% of total funding, a higher proportion than the share of population living in those areas.
