FSB Welcomes Brokenshire’s Statement

Allocating expenditure a relief but agreement needed to escape limbo says FSB.

Responding to today’s announcement by James Brokenshire MP, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Wilfred Mitchell OBE, FSB NI Policy Chair said: “The FSB welcomes today’s Written Ministerial Statement on Northern Ireland’s finances, as it gives temporary relief to the pressure public services have been under due to the lack of a Northern Ireland budget; however, there is deep frustration within the business community that we still do not have a functioning Executive to take spending decisions locally.

“The Secretary of State has rightly highlighted the need for a functioning Northern Ireland Executive to deliver the additional £1.5bn spending power; FSB continues to call on all of our local politicians to negotiate until agreement is reached and an Executive re-established.

“Until that point, the Departments need to press on with delivering the major infrastructure and investment programmes that are needed to help transform our economy and not allow political stalemate to lead to economic stagnation.”