Budget A Boost For Northern Ireland Economy

28 Mar 2013

CONTRARY to Naomi Long’s gloomy claims (Thursday, March 21), last week the chancellor produced a Budget aimed at creating jobs and helping struggling families.

The measures he announced will take a further 7,000 people in Northern Ireland out of tax altogether. They will provide help for 25,000 small companies here, by reducing their National Insurance Contributions.

They offer a boost for investment, with lower corporation tax and extra relief on research and development, meaning firms will have more cash to spend on creating jobs.

The chancellor also provided a substantial injection of money for infrastructure, as well as support to boost house building, which can create huge benefits for the economy, due to the so-called ‘multiplier effect’.

This Budget is about getting our private sector moving and our economy growing. We need the Executive here, which Alliance is a part of, to pick up the mantle of rebalancing and supporting the private sector with the tools at its disposal.

It is disappointing that Alliance has shown through its response that it is not a party for business and has little grasp of the necessity of rebalancing the economy or assisting the private sector to create much-needed jobs.

Ms Long should state clearly exactly why she is rejecting a good Budget written by a coalition of which her sister party, the Liberal Democrats, is a part.

Source: http://www.newsletter.co.uk/community/your-view/budget-a-boost-for-northern-ireland-economy-1-4941026