Parsley calls for Government action on all-party Economic Forum

4.04.00pm GMT Fri 10th Feb 2006

Young Alliance Chairman Ian James Parsley has welcomed Government investment in youth services and skills programmes, but added a much more significant move would be the establishment of an all-party economic forum. He said that given other parties' failure to respond to the challenge, the Secretary of State should lead the way.

The North Down Councillor, who proposed the idea to the Secretary of State as part of the Alliance delegation at the talks on Monday, stated: "We welcome the fact that the Secretary of State seems to be listening to Alliance's emphasis on the economy. However, he must follow up his fine words with actions, particularly on an all-party economic roundtable.

"I commend the Government for putting around £100 million into economic development and a youth and training level. But piecemeal developments are no way to develop a truly world-class economy. The Alliance Party is more interested in the practicality of outcomes than the theory of inputs.

"We put it directly to the Secretary of State at the beginning of the week that we are prepared to meet his economic challenges. A properly functioning economy is absolutely fundamental to achieving genuine political stability.

"What is required by the hundreds of people who have lost jobs in local industry in the past two weeks, and by their dependents, is clear political leadership. We as a party are challenging other parties to show they can deliver that leadership in the context of an all-party economic forum. If they cannot deliver real results for the people who need them and for society as a whole, then all their preaching about political mandates is meaningless."

A businessman himself, Cllr Parsley serves on the North Down Economic Development Forum and is a director of the North Down Development Organisation.

ENDS