Programme for Government fails the North West

An urgent letter has been sent jointly by the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and U4D to all ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, urging them to amend the Programme for Government.

The draft Programme for Government omits all mention of the Derry-Londonderry ‘One Plan'. There are no proposed initiatives to alleviate the acute economic and social disparity that damages the North West.

Padraig Canavan, President of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and Chair of U4D, said: "The draft Programme for Government fails the North West. Many people in Derry-Londonderry had high hopes that the city's One Plan would be accommodated in its entirety in the Programme for Government - at the very least as a recognised aspiration.

"Instead, the draft version does not even mention the One Plan - unlike the very many other government strategies that are listed.

"Nor is there any recognition of the priorities of the North West. Those priorities are the substantial expansion of Magee and improvement to the transport infrastructure, particularly the road and rail links between Derry-Londonderry and Belfast.

"I have written on behalf of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and U4D to all Executive ministers - and copied this to our local MLAs - urging them to amend the Programme for Government. As the draft version stands, the report offers little if any hope for the economic and social conditions of the North West."