Northern Ireland can have its own Celtic Tiger boom with the backing of both governments, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said today.
In his first Dublin meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern since the Executive was established, Mr McGuinness said the North is now entering a more constructive and optimistic era for economic development.
Mr McGuinness said regenerating the economy would be "the next big battle" for Northern Ireland.
"The opportunities before us are unparalleled in my view. The political developments will create a spirit of entrepreneurship among our own people," he said.
Today's meeting at Government Buildings followed on from last week's British-Irish Council summit in Belfast and the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Armagh City.
The Mid-Ulster Sinn Féin MP added: "With the goodwill of the Taoiseach which we clearly have, with the goodwill of Gordon Brown, which I hope we will have . .
. then we can face up to these huge economic challenges.
"Our part of the island is moving forward, and is moving forward decisively towards more peaceful, more hopeful and more optimistic times." Mr McGuinness, who was accompanied by junior minister Gerry Kelly, said.
The Taoiseach and Mr McGuinness also discussed the future development of the peace process, north/south co-operation and the devolution of responsibility for policing and criminal justice matters to the Northern Ireland Executive.
Major projects, such as the route serving the North West Gateway of Letterkenny and Derry and the restoration of the Ulster canal, were also on the agenda.
Mr McGuinness added: "We need to develop the economy in a way that will see more inward development in the North.
"There is a narrow window of opportunity there. Between now and the summer of next year, we will be trying to bring plenty of economic investment, plenty of well-paid jobs to Northern Ireland.
"Over the course of many years, it is quite clear from examining the infrastructure in the North that there has been under-funding and neglect.
"In the south, economic packages from Europe have been invested in the infrastructure and assisted the Celtic Tiger over the past 10 years," he added.
PA