The Ulster Unionist Party has today published their vision for developing the Knowledge Economy in Northern Ireland.

You can download the paper here: The Knowledge Economy

Party Leader, Mike Nesbitt said:

“Our vision for Northern Ireland is that we become one of the greatest small countries on earth in which to live, work, and invest.  Part of getting there will require we take steps to develop our nascent Knowledge Economy. Across the globe, clusters of innovation, collaboration and new economic activity are developing which are transforming economies in those places, and Northern Ireland is poised to make the same journey.

“The economic success we enjoyed during the industrial age relied upon the talents and ingenuity of our people. Today, when human capital is key, our people remain our greatest asset. Our talented and educated youth are the basis of our fantastic economic potential.

“Developing the Knowledge Economy can do more than anything else to transform the lives of everyone living here. It will allow young people to realise their tremendous potential while remaining in Northern Ireland. It will attract new jobs and investment to these shores. And it offers the best chance to move from economic reliance, to becoming a valued net contributor to the UK economy.

“Harnessing the potential of the Knowledge Economy is not a matter of quick fixes. The global, digital, interconnected future has already arrived, and politics in Northern Ireland is playing catch-up. If the Stormont Executive is to help us revisit the success of our past, then it needs to change the way it does business. Making aspirational statements or commissioning strategy papers are not enough. Seeking inward investment is not enough. We need more than ‘business as usual’ in the next Stormont mandate.

“We require a government capable of leadership and vision, taking strategic decisions, and who will work together and with business. An Executive with the maturity to do this will help set the foundations for our Knowledge Economy to flourish.

“Business expects more; you require more. It is high time the Stormont Executive raised its game. Our futures and those of our children depend on getting this right.”