Six mayors from the North and South met yesterday in Belfast in a "spirit of friendship and progress" to witness what the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Dr David Alderdice, described as a "new era" for the city. The day-long meeting was the first of its kind. The mayors of Armagh, Ballymena, Belfast, Dublin, Galway and Limerick attended.
Dr Alderdice said recent quality building developments along the Lagan expressed "confidence for the future, a confidence that we're moving forward". His claim was supported by Belfast City Council's announcement that tourism last year brought £123 million sterling to the city.
Belfast's economy looked like Dublin's economy did 10 years ago and would benefit from Dublin's economic growth, said the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ald Joe Doyle, who added that continued peace would contribute to Belfast's economic success.