Programme for Government shows NI needs an alternative

2.42.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Oct 2007

Alliance Youth Chair Cllr Ian james Parsley

Outgoing Alliance Youth Chair Ian James Parsley has slammed the Programme for Government announced in the Assembly on Thursday, saying there was no evidence of any change of direction.

The North Down Councillor stated: "What the Executive parties have produced is nothing but a slimmed down version of what direct rulers would have produced.

"It was proudly announced that the Budget was 'made in Northern Ireland' - but the Programme for Government is most definitely 'made in England'.

"The Executive has made great play of prioritising the economy - but can it point to a single change to Northern Ireland economic policy? Its action plan is simply to allow Invest NI to continue on the same lines, with no serious change of directon.

"Where are the initiatives to provide one-stop-shops for start-up businesses? Where is the clarification of which industries Northern Ireland will target to boost its economy? Where is the identification of how to tackle the 'brain drain' with hi-tech, hi-wage jobs right here in Northern Ireland?

"Targets are very clever for headline grabbing, but actions are necessary to achieve them. These actions simply do not exist. This is a story without a plot.

"This is lowest-common-denominator politics - a soft option designed to avoid any disagreement within the mandatory coalition. Never has it been more apparent that Northern Ireland needs a different attitude to government, a different type of government, and a different system of government. Otherwise we will go back to lagging behind our neighbours, and watching our best talent leave."

ENDS