Invest NI beef-up targets in three-year plan

Invest Northern Ireland has today published a revised Corporate Plan that includes strengthened targets for increased entrepreneurship, innovation and internationalisation over the next three years.

Commenting on the Corporate Plan, Professor Fabian Monds, Invest NI Chairman, said: "Within each of the strategic themes of Being Entrepreneurial; Being Innovative; Being International, we have refined our approach, thanks to the comments received.

"For example, it was suggested that, having firmly established our credentials as a unified agency, we need to be more ambitious and courageous in looking for more radical solutions for our clients' needs and for the wider Northern Ireland economy.

"In revising our draft, we have therefore stretched and strengthened our targets and measures for the next three years."

Invest NI Chief Executive Leslie Morrison said: "We have extended our targets beyond the quantitative to more qualitative measures to sharpen our focus on quality of jobs, wealth creation, capability building and global networking.

"Invest NI does not control the macro-economic levers that are the source of radical economic change. We will work in partnership with Government and the key stakeholders to seek changes that further enhance Northern Ireland as a place to do business."

"Our Board and senior management are focusing on the strategic direction of Invest NI, on strong, transparent governance, on continuous improvement and on building strong partnerships regionally and internationally. Getting these right will contribute much to the creation of a stronger private-sector economy in Northern Ireland."

Invest NI said that the three-year plan, which sets targets until 2008, has been influenced by feedback from business organisations, local authorities and the main political parties following the launch of a consultation process in March.

The consultation included public meetings in Belfast, Londonderry, Newry, Ballymena and Omagh. Written submissions from a wide range of interested parties were also considered in the final drafting process.

(SP)