A new economic development body would be able to respond more quickly and efficiently to the needs of businesses in the North than the agencies it replaces, the Enterprise Minister, Sir Reg Empey, told the North's Assembly yesterday.
Before the passing of the second stage of the Industrial Development Bill, Sir Reg said research undertaken by his Department showed overwhelming support for the creation of a single agency responsible for development.
"The clear predominance of opinion indicated that such an agency would have more flexibility, more credibility and indeed would be more responsive to the needs of its clients if it were at arm's length from government," Sir Reg said.
The Bill seeks to establish Invest Northern Ireland, to take over the functions of the Industrial Development Board, the Local Enterprise Development Unit, the Industrial Research and Technology Unit, the business support division of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and the business support activities of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
"The new agency would be able to respond quickly, efficiently and effectively in an intensely competitive global marketplace, where the emphasis has to be on getting the job done, not on bureaucracy," Sir Reg said.
The Bill did not seek to significantly change the policies and functions of the existing agencies which will be transferred to Invest Northern Ireland, he said.
Earlier, the Minister for Regional Development, Mr Gregory Campbell, announced that the number of roads salted in Northern Ireland in winter was to be slightly increased next year.
He defended the modest 4 per cent increase, saying that Northern Ireland already had the greatest length of salted road network per head of population in the UK and the Republic.
Speaking during a review of his Department's service last winter, Mr Campbell said every settlement with more than 100 dwellings would in future have a salted link to the main salted road network.