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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland 'second only to London in inward investment' | Northern Ireland 'second only to London in inward investment' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Prime Minister David Cameron has said Northern Ireland is second only to London in the UK as the top destination for inward investment. | Prime Minister David Cameron has said Northern Ireland is second only to London in the UK as the top destination for inward investment. |
| Mr Cameron was addressing a major investment conference in Belfast. | Mr Cameron was addressing a major investment conference in Belfast. |
| He urged foreign investors to "put your money in Northern Ireland and be part of this incredible success story". | He urged foreign investors to "put your money in Northern Ireland and be part of this incredible success story". |
| "Some people say it's a bit undignified for a prime minster to make a sales pitch, I say nonsense," he said. | "Some people say it's a bit undignified for a prime minster to make a sales pitch, I say nonsense," he said. |
| "I'm passionate about the power of business to create jobs and growth and I'm passionate about what Northern Ireland has to offer, and so I'm here today with a very simple message. | "I'm passionate about the power of business to create jobs and growth and I'm passionate about what Northern Ireland has to offer, and so I'm here today with a very simple message. |
| "Put your money in Northern Ireland and be part of this incredible success story because investing in Northern Ireland makes good business sense." | "Put your money in Northern Ireland and be part of this incredible success story because investing in Northern Ireland makes good business sense." |
| Mr Cameron told the conference at Belfast's Titanic Building that Northern Ireland had put on a "great G8" during the summer. | |
| "What was seen this summer was a new Northern Ireland open for business, ready for investment, strengthening the foundations for peace, stability and prosperity and determined to be defined not by divided past but by shared future," he said. | "What was seen this summer was a new Northern Ireland open for business, ready for investment, strengthening the foundations for peace, stability and prosperity and determined to be defined not by divided past but by shared future," he said. |
| "With over 800 foreign investors, Northern Ireland is second only to London in the UK as the top destination for inward investment, with almost 8,000 jobs from foreign investment in the last three years alone." | "With over 800 foreign investors, Northern Ireland is second only to London in the UK as the top destination for inward investment, with almost 8,000 jobs from foreign investment in the last three years alone." |
| 'Building blocks' | 'Building blocks' |
| Earlier, the first and deputy first ministers said Northern Ireland has much to offer international investors. | Earlier, the first and deputy first ministers said Northern Ireland has much to offer international investors. |
| First minister Peter Robinson said Northern Ireland has "many of the building blocks in place" to take its economy to a "higher level". | First minister Peter Robinson said Northern Ireland has "many of the building blocks in place" to take its economy to a "higher level". |
| Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the country had a young, educated workforce and offered a high standard of living. | Deputy First Minister Martin 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. | 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. |
| 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 | |
| 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. |