It’s a decade since the Good Friday Agreement was made, but for businesses in Northern Ireland, has it made a real difference?

By Joe Diamond

According to government statistics, the North’s economy has improved considerably since the Good Friday Agreement, which was made ten years ago this week.
Those figures show that 100,000 more people are employed now than a decade ago, but local community groups and politicians still have concerns about the economy.
Unemployment has fallen from 63,000 (8.1 per cent) to 34,000 (4.2 per cent), and a total of 782,000 are now in work.
Noel Rooney, chairman of the West Belfast Partnership board said: “The West Belfast Partnership Board was involved in the task force which was set up after the agreement, in 2001.
“We brought forward proposals to generate employment in West Belfast, and helped develop an action plan, which we are still working through.
“There have been some changes and the area has benefited to a certain extent. The peace process has helped to bring people into West Belfast, both in terms of tourists and employment.
“However, there is still a lot of work to be done,” he warned.
Sinn Féin councillor Paul Maskey said: “Although there is now lower unemployment, there have not been many real changes in areas of high social deprivation, like West Belfast. Sinn Féin will be fighting to ensure that these areas get their fair share of the new jobs.
“This is at the core of our argument, and we will be fighting hard to ensure that job creation in future is equality based.
“Under direct rule, British Ministers only paid lip service to equality, and neglected many of these areas for far too long.
“Now that we have the chance to govern ourselves we are going to make sure this will change,” added Paul.
SDLP Councillor Tim Attwood agreed: “Clearly advances in the economy have been made as a result of the peace process. Several local businesses such as Delta Print and Curleys are shining examples of successes in West Belfast. These stalwarts deserve to be recognised because they provided employment for local people throughout the troubles.
“However, other parts of the city have done better. There has been too much investment in the South East, and West Belfast deserves greater priority, because it is the area of greatest need.
“The area has been let down by organisations like Invest NI – they need to make more effort to help areas like West Belfast.
“The changes in the economy are a double edged sword. It is true that there has been some improvement, but not enough has been done,” he said.
Wilfred Mitchell, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses said:“100,000 extra people in the workforce can only be good news for Northern Ireland. More people working means a brighter and more robust economy and attracts greater investment into the province as a whole.
“In the last decade the FSB has witnessed a much more stable and positive economic and political climate in Northern Ireland.
“However, for this increased prosperity to continue action has to be taken in a number of areas.”

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