This was an unusual twist from the traditional business lunches, which we regularly host for members and guests. In the current climate, when our economic and regeneration priorities are being driven by a Westminster appointed Ministerial team, the Chamber felt it vital that our Members have the opportunity to engage with, and challenge, the senior politicians charged with leading the four main parties in Northern Ireland. We invited each of the party leaders to address our members on what they intend doing to create the necessary confidence for investment.

To date we have had three events, with Gerry Adams on 11th April in the White Horse Hotel and Mark Durkan on 18th April in the Tower Hotel and Jeffrey Donaldson 16th May. At each of the events, your President used the occasion to drive home the message that we need local governance by our locally elected Ministers and urged the politicians to find a solution which would bring about devolved governance. All events were well attended with high profile representation from our key employers in the region. As expected there was been a strong focus on the North West. In our first lunch, Gerry Adams was told by some of our large employers that the internal road infrastructure supporting their operations in the Science Park left a lot to be desired, and could affect jobs. There were questions on tourism, joined up government, planning and of course plans to redress the endemic downward spiral of job losses in the North West. Similar issues were raised with the SDLP Leader, Mark Durkan who also impressed members with his comments on real decentralisation of government jobs. Jeffrey Donaldson was impressive in his grasp of the key issues for the NW and focused heavily on the macro issues and supported the development of a motorway link between the 2 leading cities in the province.

Our thanks to Opt2Vote and Pakflatt, two of our leading innovation companies who are joint sponsors of this lunch series

Gerry Adams - Political Lunch Series 2005

Mark Durkin - Political Lunch Series 2005