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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland building blocks in place - Peter Robinson | Northern Ireland building blocks in place - Peter Robinson |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The first and deputy first ministers have said Northern Ireland has much to offer international investors. | The first and deputy first ministers have said Northern Ireland has much to offer international investors. |
| Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness were addressing a major investment conference in Belfast. | Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness were addressing a major investment conference in Belfast. |
| The first minister, Mr Robinson, said Northern Ireland has "many of the building blocks in place" to take its economy to a "higher level". | The first minister, Mr Robinson, said Northern Ireland has "many of the building blocks in place" to take its economy to a "higher level". |
| Mr McGuinness said the country had a young, educated workforce and offered a high standard of living. | Mr McGuinness said the country had a young, educated workforce and offered a high standard of living. |
| Mr Robinson said the key to moving Northern Ireland forward as one community was creating jobs and promoting social inclusion. | Mr Robinson said the key to moving Northern Ireland forward as one community was creating jobs and promoting social inclusion. |
| He said at the heart of the Northern Ireland Executive's programme for government was the creation of a vibrant economy. | |
| "The reaction we often get from potential investors who take the time to come here is that 'we didn't think that Northern Ireland had so much to offer,'" he said. | "The reaction we often get from potential investors who take the time to come here is that 'we didn't think that Northern Ireland had so much to offer,'" he said. |
| Mr Robinson also joked that he hoped those attending the conference had enjoyed a traditional healthy, fat-free Northern Ireland breakfast. | Mr Robinson also joked that he hoped those attending the conference had enjoyed a traditional healthy, fat-free Northern Ireland breakfast. |
| 'Safe place to live' | 'Safe place to live' |
| Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness told delegates that Northern Ireland was a "very safe place to invest and to live, with very low crime levels". | Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness told delegates that Northern Ireland was a "very safe place to invest and to live, with very low crime levels". |
| He said existing inward investors had been impressed with what Northern Ireland had to offer, including its "young educated workforce", excellent telecommunications infrastructure, government support and its location as a "gateway to Europe". | He said existing inward investors had been impressed with what Northern Ireland had to offer, including its "young educated workforce", excellent telecommunications infrastructure, government support and its location as a "gateway to Europe". |
| Mr McGuinness said people in Northern Ireland had a "strong work ethic" and more than 60% of school leavers continued their studies by taking either further or higher education courses. | Mr McGuinness said people in Northern Ireland had a "strong work ethic" and more than 60% of school leavers continued their studies by taking either further or higher education courses. |
| The deputy first minister also praised the quality of life in Northern Ireland. He told investors that they would never be more than an hour's drive from either the sea or the mountains, and could enjoy first class golfing and fishing facilities. | The deputy first minister also praised the quality of life in Northern Ireland. He told investors that they would never be more than an hour's drive from either the sea or the mountains, and could enjoy first class golfing and fishing facilities. |
| 'Huge strides' | 'Huge strides' |
| Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron said there is no reason why Northern Ireland cannot be at the heart of the UK's economic recovery. | Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron said there is no reason why Northern Ireland cannot be at the heart of the UK's economic recovery. |
| He made the comments in three Belfast newspapers on Friday, ahead of his visit to the investment conference. | He made the comments in three Belfast newspapers on Friday, ahead of his visit to the investment conference. |
| On Friday, the prime minister is due to address delegates at the second day of the conference in Belfast. | On Friday, the prime minister is due to address delegates at the second day of the conference in Belfast. |
| In the article he said Northern Ireland had made "huge strides" forward. | In the article he said Northern Ireland had made "huge strides" forward. |
| It was "on its way to a more stable, peaceful and prosperous future," he went on. | It was "on its way to a more stable, peaceful and prosperous future," he went on. |
| "While I fully acknowledge difficult issues remain, we can be confident that Northern Ireland's best days lie ahead," he said. | "While I fully acknowledge difficult issues remain, we can be confident that Northern Ireland's best days lie ahead," he said. |
| He said living standards lagged behind the rest of the UK and the local economy needed to move away from its heavy reliance on the public sector. | He said living standards lagged behind the rest of the UK and the local economy needed to move away from its heavy reliance on the public sector. |
| However, he urged more businesses to come to Northern Ireland. | However, he urged more businesses to come to Northern Ireland. |
| "I am passionate about business: profit isn't a dirty word - it means jobs, it means opportunities. And I'm passionate about Northern Ireland: I want those jobs and opportunities to flow here," he said. | "I am passionate about business: profit isn't a dirty word - it means jobs, it means opportunities. And I'm passionate about Northern Ireland: I want those jobs and opportunities to flow here," he said. |
| "This is a place with so much going for it: first-rate schools, world-class universities, low taxes, a history of innovation and that's even before we start talking about the culture, the scenery and the quality of life. | "This is a place with so much going for it: first-rate schools, world-class universities, low taxes, a history of innovation and that's even before we start talking about the culture, the scenery and the quality of life. |
| "There is absolutely no reason why Northern Ireland can't be at the heart of the UK's recovery in the years to come." | "There is absolutely no reason why Northern Ireland can't be at the heart of the UK's recovery in the years to come." |
| Speaking at the conference on Friday morning, Northern Ireland Economy Minister Arlene Foster said Mr Cameron had fulfilled a commitment he had made during the summer, when the prime minister hosted the G8 summit in County Fermanagh. | Speaking at the conference on Friday morning, Northern Ireland Economy Minister Arlene Foster said Mr Cameron had fulfilled a commitment he had made during the summer, when the prime minister hosted the G8 summit in County Fermanagh. |
| She said he had promised in June to return to Northern Ireland to promote the role he believes it can play in the wider UK economy, and she added that the business event was part of the "economic legacy of the G8". | She said he had promised in June to return to Northern Ireland to promote the role he believes it can play in the wider UK economy, and she added that the business event was part of the "economic legacy of the G8". |
| Ms Foster said she was "very confident that there will be investment after this conference". | Ms Foster said she was "very confident that there will be investment after this conference". |
| The economy minister was asked if the murders of Kevin Kearney and Barry McCrory, who were shot dead within 48 hours in Belfast and Londonderry, had overshadowed the event. | The economy minister was asked if the murders of Kevin Kearney and Barry McCrory, who were shot dead within 48 hours in Belfast and Londonderry, had overshadowed the event. |
| Ms Foster said: "Obviously those of us who live here are shocked and horrified that those sorts of murders can take place on our streets." | Ms Foster said: "Obviously those of us who live here are shocked and horrified that those sorts of murders can take place on our streets." |
| However, she added: "We've been focusing on talking to the delegates about the good things in Northern Ireland - that fact that we have such good skills here, and if people invest in Northern Ireland they will definitely get value for money." | However, she added: "We've been focusing on talking to the delegates about the good things in Northern Ireland - that fact that we have such good skills here, and if people invest in Northern Ireland they will definitely get value for money." |
| Game of Thrones | Game of Thrones |
| One of the delegates is Jay Roewe, executive vice president of the US television production company, HBO. | One of the delegates is Jay Roewe, executive vice president of the US television production company, HBO. |
| The HBO production 'Game of Thrones', has been filmed extensively in Northern Ireland | The HBO production 'Game of Thrones', has been filmed extensively in Northern Ireland |
| He described what they had found during filming, | He described what they had found during filming, |
| "You need an infrastructure, you need people to make a good production with," he said. | "You need an infrastructure, you need people to make a good production with," he said. |
| "What we actually found was a little bit of a sleeping giant and I think we have been very fortunate to wake that sleeping giant and really discover a great creative community here that has really come to work with us and work at a world class level." | "What we actually found was a little bit of a sleeping giant and I think we have been very fortunate to wake that sleeping giant and really discover a great creative community here that has really come to work with us and work at a world class level." |
| On Thursday night, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the peace process and political institutions were rock solid. | On Thursday night, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the peace process and political institutions were rock solid. |
| Martin McGuinness was speaking at a reception at Hillsborough Castle in County Down, to mark the opening of the investment conference. | Martin McGuinness was speaking at a reception at Hillsborough Castle in County Down, to mark the opening of the investment conference. |
| The conference is the first event of its kind in Northern Ireland, since the global downturn began in 2008. | The conference is the first event of its kind in Northern Ireland, since the global downturn began in 2008. |