NDP's shared island partnership approach brings benefits to all - JBC

The Ibec/CBI Joint Business Council (JBC) welcomes the publication of the National Development Plan (NPD) review and its commitments to a shared island partnership approach to connectivity, sustainability, and prosperity.

This NDP is a strategic response to the evolving needs of business and society on a connected island whose population will reach 8m people in the coming decades. These include delivering long promised shared infrastructure upgrades in rail, roads and research, alongside a variety of new all island business issues ranging from skills, EV Charging Points, the circular economy, to Experience Economy projects across the island. 

The JBC also welcomes the NDP’s emphasis on the importance of strategic partnerships between Government Departments in the Republic and the Northern Ireland Executive/ UK Government, along with accessing EU support such as the over €1bn Peace Plus Programme.

Fergal O’Brien, Ibec Director of Lobbying and Influence said: “This unprecedented scale of capital investment is a strategic opportunity to improve the productivity of business on an all island basis and represents a step change in investment support for the all island economy.”

CBI Northern Ireland Director, Angela McGowan said: “Nurturing policy relationships both North-South and East-West is in everyone’s interest.  Collaboration between policy makers on issues such as energy, economic development, infrastructure and climate change will ensure that we multiply the economic success and living standards in both jurisdictions.”