Northern Ireland’s businesses need political and economic certainty if they are to be allowed to thrive in the coming year.
That is the message from the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry which said stability at Stormont, the completion of Brexit negotiations between the UK and European Union, the upcoming review of education and the UK Government’s levelling up agenda will be vital to businesses in the year ahead.
NI Chamber president Paul Murnaghan said that after the challenges of the past two years, businesses in every sector across Northern Ireland need 2022 to deliver certainty for all aspects of trade, support for continued recovery and the right conditions for sustainable growth.
“While a new year brings renewed optimism, for some sectors in particular, the difficulties of 2021 and 2020 have certainly not gone away,” he said. “The arrival of the Omicron variant in December brought further uncertainty which has placed additional pressures on hospitality and tourism, just as they were finding their feet again.
“Many firms are still dealing with the compound impact of new trading arrangements, uncertainty around the Protocol, restrictions, supply-chain difficulties, transport delays/increased costs and labour shortages. So when we speak about approaching 2022 with optimism, we’re looking for opportunities in the long-term, without ignoring the reality of what it means to run a business in Northern Ireland during the present.”
Mr Murnaghan said political stability amongst elected representatives is particularly important in the face of a number of difficult business headwinds.
He said the new Executive formed following May’s elections has a responsibility to focus on the economy.
“Whatever its make-up, it is vitally important that the next set of Ministers keep business and the economy front and centre.
“Business needs to be a priority because it plays a fundamental role in delivering for people and communities. So when we talk about business, we should not see it in a narrow, profit driven sense. It’s about people’s livelihoods and their sense of purpose and wellbeing, communities and families, as well as taxes to run vital public services and the country.”
