5 February 2001

MINISTER URGES SOFTWARE INDUSTRIES NORTH AND SOUTH TO WORK TOGETHER

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are well positioned to be significant European e-business players because of our success in the sunrise sectors of software, electronics and telecommunication, Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, said tonight.

The Minister was speaking at the first ever joint meeting of the Council of the Software Industry Federation and the Board of the Irish Software Association. This heralds a new level of cross border co-operation in the software sector, a fact underlined by the decision of InterTradeIreland to mark the event with a dinner hosted by its Chief Executive, Liam Nellis.

Sir Reg said: "The ICT and electronics sectors have proven to be strong areas of growth for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

"Both the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government see these sectors growing, providing high added value jobs and ensuring talented resources remain on the island.

"The importance of the software, electronics and telecoms sectors to business on the island of Ireland cannot be over-emphasised. In Northern Ireland over the last three years employment in the software sector has doubled to over 5,000 employees with a turnover of around £220 million.

"This is expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years and the level of indigenous and foreign investment in both parts of the island in these sectors will drive it forward.

"Of course we all recognise the absolute necessity of providing the necessary skills to fuel and keep pace with this growth and here in Northern Ireland we've introduced a number of measures, like the 'Back to the Future Campaign', to ensure the skills are and will continue to be available. The sector has a great future and I look forward to seeing it develop," he said.

Liam Nellis, chief executive of InterTradeIreland, told the audience of software, IT and telecoms professionals from across the island; "Once again InterTradeIreland is showing how it can facilitate business people both North and South.

"This sector is arguably one of the most important to the future economic success of the entire island. If we can facilitate and discover levels of co-operation which can benefit us all then we will make a real impact on the economic landscape."

He added that it was important that member companies of SIF and ISA be encouraged to trade with each other no matter where they were located on the island. Their determination to increase cross-border trade is to be welcomed.

"If companies in these sectors, north and south, can work together then the chances of winning business in the competitive global marketplace are greatly increased," said Mr Nellis.

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Trade and Business Development Body is one of six Cross Border Implementation Bodies set up under the British Irish Agreement Act of March 1999; and deriving directly from the negotiations which led to the Good Friday Agreement.

Board members: Chairman - Dr Martin Naughton; chairman Glen Dimplex Ltd;

Vice Chairman - Dr Harold Ennis, founding chairman, Boxmore Ltd; The Duke of Abercorn, Chairman, Laganside; Ms Mary Ainscough, American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland; Ms Mary Breslin, Total Engineering; Mr Barry Fitzsimons, Cunningham Coates Ltd, Belfast; Ms Jackie Harrison, Director of Enterprise, Irish Business and Employers Confederation; Mr Carl McCann, Vice Chairman, Fyffes Ltd; Mr Feargal McCormack, Managing Partner, FPM Chartered Accountants, Newry; Dr Inez McCormack, President, Irish Congress of Trade Unions; Mr Kieran McGowan, former Chief Executive, IDA Ireland and Mr Robbie Smyth, Lecturer, Griffith College, Dublin.