Other News In Brief

13th Annual New York New Belfast Conference Held

The 13th annual New York New Belfast Conference has highlighted the city's 'strong innovation credentials' in a bid to attract further inward investment.

The conference attracts key business and civic leaders from New York and Belfast – and it was the first in person event since 2019.

Belfast Lord Mayor Councillor Tina Black who addressed the delegation said: "New York New Belfast offers us an outstanding opportunity to showcase the best of Belfast to our NYC counterparts, extend our networks, create strategic partnerships and increase awareness and understanding of our investment proposition.

"This year, we're taking the message that Belfast is a city where innovation thrives to a range of key investors, global banks and influencers, including Tom Di Napoli, New York State Comptroller. We're also joined by Leigh Meyer, Site Head, Citi Belfast and Darragh McCarthy, Chief Executive FinTrU who'll be sharing their story of why their companies chose to invest in Belfast – and how our city – and in particular our mature FinTech and RegTech sectors, have proven to be incredibly resilient and successful during the pandemic.

"It's particularly exciting to be highlighting the planned £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal investment in our infrastructure and growth sectors – in effect, a decade of opportunity. We're inviting NYC based businesses to take advantage of our unique geography to access European markets and to be part of our journey to become industry world leaders once again, this time, as a hub for innovation."

Clare Guinness, Innovation District Director with Innovation City Belfast added: "The Belfast we know today is virtually unrecognisable to that of 20 years ago, it's now home to a host of flourishing innovative sectors from financial services to MedTech, RegTech and beyond as we embrace the fourth industrial revolution.

"For Innovation City Belfast, the New York New Belfast conference gives us a tremendous opportunity to showcase that change to the world, highlighting the incredible opportunities that now exist in our city.

"At the heart of our city sits the fully digitally enabled Innovation District, comprising 400 waterfront acres, ripe for development. It's where 30k students, academic research centres, international businesses and indigenous companies are all thriving. Belfast is continuing to invest in our tech capabilities, digital skills and high spec real estate developments to ensure future growth and investment from the United States, Europe and across the globe."

The Belfast delegation will also be engaging in a programme of financial and tech business meetings facilitated by Belfast native Shaun T Kelly, Chair of Invest NI's East Coast Advisory Council and Global Chief Operating Officer, KPMG, now based in Manhattan.

Minister Poots Attends Royal Highland Show

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA has visited the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh to meet with his Scottish counterpart and to support the Northern Ireland food companies exhibiting at the event.

Celebrating its 200th year the annual Royal Highland Show, very similar to the Balmoral Show, showcases the finest displays of Scotland's livestock, machinery, produce, equine and countryside pursuits.

DAERA has provided funding to allow Food NI to take a number of local food companies to the four-day show to showcase their produce and to meet with major retailers.

The Minister said: "I am delighted to be able to visit the Royal Highland Show and to support the Northern Ireland exhibitors attending it. My Department is actively involved in supporting our agri-food industry in the promotion of our high quality and award winning local produce and this event is just one example of that.

"We have an agri-food industry that we all should be proud off with high quality, sustainability and a great reputation so I am hopeful that these food companies will do a great job in promoting the sector as well as increasing their sales and finding new major buyers.

"I want to commend Food NI for all their efforts in the promotion of NI produce at events such as this and the development of the ‘Our Food. The Power of Good' promotional campaign," he added.

The Minister also met with Mairi McAllan, MSP, Minister for Environment and Land Reform and talked about common issues facing the agri-sector and the need to support such rural shows following the pandemic.

The Minister also reminded local agricultural shows that the deadline to apply for funding from the £200,000 bounce back scheme is 30 June 2022 and encourage organisers to apply.

East Belfast Roadworks To Get Underway On 27 June

A programme of resurfacing work is set begin in Castlereagh next week.

The Department for Infrastructure is leading a £120,000 scheme to improve the carriageway and footway on Moneyreagh Road. Work will begin on Monday 27 June and is expected to reach completion by Friday 05 August.

The scheme stretches from Marylands Industrial Estate in a southerly direction (through Gransha Road / Knockbracken Road junctions) for a distance of approximately 150 metres.

To facilitate the scheme it will be necessary to implement weekday lane closures along the work area on the Moneyreagh Road for the duration of the works from 27 June until 05 August between 9.30am and 4.30pm.

In addition to the weekday lane closure a full road closure will be required to complete the associated surfacing works. This will be in place overnight from Monday 01 August until Friday 05 August 2022 between the hours of 7.30pm and 6am.

During these times a signed diversionary route will be in place using the B178 Hillsborough Road - A7 Belfast Road - A24 Saintfield Road - A55 Upper Knockbreda Road - A23 Ballygowan Road and vice versa. Local access for residents and emergency services will be maintained at all times.

Road users should expect some delays and are advised to allow additional time when travelling in the vicinity of the works and are asked to comply with all temporary traffic restrictions.