SDLP MLA Joe Byrne.
The Northern Ireland Executive must take “urgent action” to address unemployment which continued to affect the Strabane area “more acutely” than most other places, SDLP West Tyrone MLA Joe Byrne has said.
Mr Byrne said when the new Derry-Strabane “super council” comes to power in April next year, it would be responsible for an area with the highest rate of unemployment in the North and a rate higher than the vast majority of councils in Britain.
He added: “The scale of the challenge facing us cannot be under-estimated.”
Mr Byrne said it was “vital” the Executive “now takes urgent action” to begin to address this problem.
He added: “We hear, on an almost weekly basis, of the new opportunities people in Belfast have as new companies set up. But once again it appears that the North-West has been abandoned.
“We need a strategy to attract jobs and investment to the North West as a matter of urgency.
“Only today my party brought a motion to the Assembly calling for greater investment in our roads infrastructure- a key driver for job creation and location.”
Mr Byrne concluded: “I will be speaking to my party colleague and chair of the Enterprise committee, Patsy McGlone MLA, and we will continue to place pressure on the Enterprise Minister to ensure that a strategy and, crucially, real jobs are located here as soon as possible.”
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