Trade Union Leaders call for Investment that 'Makes a Difference'
7 May 2008
Patricia McKeown, President and Jack O'Connor, Vice President, ICTU are attending the Northern Ireland Investment Conference which is taking place in Belfast on 7- 9 May .
Patricia McKeown said 'the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is committed to supporting inward investment in the context of sustainable development. This means investment which will can not only make decent profits but also tackle the ever widening patterns of inequality in this society.
"Such an investment strategy is smart business, smart economics and smart development. Widening and strengthening our skills base by changing current patterns of economic inactivity needs to be a priority. Integrating the agreed tools of public procurement, and targeted investment can, we believe, change the patterns of exclusion and underachievement of the past.
"We have demonstrated that we can work together imaginatively to create a new political accommodation. We now need to show the world that we can work together in innovative and creative ways to develop a model to ensure that people in the areas of greatest disadvantage are able to participate in this prosperity rather than watch it pass them by."
Jack O'Connor, Vice President of ICTU said 'Congress believe that sustainable development which tackles social exclusion and widens the skills base should be developed in the context of an All Island economy. This makes sound economic sense, good sense for North-South co-operation and will also enable our voice to be heard more effectively in the global economy.
"We repeat our call for a North-South Public Procurement taskforce to ensure that the major infrastructure investments, already agreed by the British and Irish governments are used to achieve socially beneficial outcomes.
"This is a one-off opportunity. It will not come around again. We must ensure that it makes a major contribution to changing the patterns of the past that destabilise the chances for peace and prosperity.
"We now have the opportunity to work together to create a real model of sustainable development. We all have a responsibility to turn rhetoric into reality."
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Note to Editors:
1. Patricia McKeown is President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and Regional Secretary of UNISON.
2. Jack O'Connor is Vice President of ICTU and General President of SIPTU, Ireland's largest trade union.
3. For further information please contact Patricia McKeown on 0044 (0)7802539096 or Jack O'Connor on 00353 872597454