7,000 new jobs for Ulster
Thousands of new jobs created in hi-tech industries are helping Northern Ireland’s industrial rebirth, it was revealed today.
The province’s main jobs creation agency the Industrial Development Board reported a record year with almost 7,600 new jobs promoted.
The ending of decades of conflict, the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and arrival of devolution was paying dividends in the international arena as the province fought for investment, said IDB chairman Dr Alan Gillespie.
‘‘We are able to go out and tell the world we’ve got a fresh start here, we’ve got peace, we’ve got political progress, we’ve got new buildings going up and we’ve got a sense of purpose and confidence in the community,’’ he said.
Northern Ireland’s drive had coincided with the explosion of innovation in high-tech industries and ‘‘a hunger for software engineers and people with graduate skills’’.
Dr Gillespie said local uncertainties about the stability of devolution appeared not to affect investment:
‘‘I think what the wider world sees is that we are no longer on the front cover of Time Magazine and they see normalisation of civil society here’’.
In it’s End Of Year Statement for 2000-2001 the IDB revealed that 91% of the new jobs were in high tech manufacturing and international traded services, such as software.
The changing face of Northern Ireland’s industrial base was reinforced by the news that 3,258 jobs were lost during the year in traditional textile and clothing sectors and another 521 in the food, drink and tobacco.
The report showed that 88% of the new jobs were being sited in designated disadvantaged areas.
Of the 7,596 jobs promoted, 3,085 came from inward investment by foreign investors, a 125% increase on six years ago.
The jobs involved a total investment of £382m and were secured with the lowest ever contribution per job by the IDB.
In the year to March each job cost the agency £7,245, down from £18,500 in 1995/6 the year after the first IRA ceasefire.
‘‘It’s been an immensely encouraging year for the IDB with excellent results,’’ said Dr Gillespie, at a Belfast news briefing.
‘‘We capitalised on very strong economies in our key markets during the first three-quarters of the year and negotiated a record number of new inward investment jobs which will provide employment opportunities for our people , particularly those in areas of acute social need.’’
The US economic slow down was likely to have a knock-on effect, he said, but he saw ‘‘continuing opportunities for new investment’’.
‘‘We will continue to win our market share.’’
Companies which have been set up over the years with IDB help managed to notch up a 13.5 % increase in their exports to £3.7bn, despite the continuing strength of the pound throughout the year.
The more than 3,000 jobs lost in the textile sector were on top of 2,500 in the previous year. It is anticipated several thousand more will also go in the next few years.
The textile industry and Stormont administration have drawn up an action plan which they believe will be able to maintain 13,500 jobs in five years’ time two to three thousand less than currently employed.
The figures from the IDB are likely to be their last full year set. Legislation is due to go before the Stormont Assembly next month for the creation of a ‘‘super agency’’ which will draw together a number of bodies, including the IDB, into one free standing organisation.
