January is famous for ‘New Year, new me’ resolutions which may or not stand the test of time. It was, however, a surprise to see the Northern Ireland Executive also join in this tradition with the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ document, put forward by the UK and Irish governments and accepted by the two largest parties as a means to get Stormont back up and running. Unlike the 2016-2017 Executive which only included the DUP and Sinn Fein, supported by the Independent MLA Claire Sugden as Justice Minister, on this occasion all five main parties have agreed to enter the Executive, albeit reserving the right to move into Opposition – for which the new Agreement finally makes proper provision.
This time round, however, the business community will expect a much more collegiate approach from the Executive than in its previous incarnations. As the Six Nations tournament dawns, rugby offers a valuable lesson for our politicians. In club competition, fans of Ulster wish to see them prevail over the other three Irish provinces; and when it comes to country rather than club, we want to see as many Ulster players make the Ireland squad as possible. However, once that squad is selected they galvanise and form a single team, regardless of whether the ball carrier is from Ulster, Munster, Leinster or Connacht. There is a close parallel with our politics. While the parties will compete hard with each other at elections, with the aim of maximising their representation in the Assembly, once Ministers are appointed it is vital that everyone rallies round ‘team Executive’, making that their priority above party, and setting aside previous competition and hostility.
The early signs are good - with Ministers collaborating on cross-departmental issues, most noticeably the Health Service pay dispute. While the Health Service has been at the forefront in recent weeks, we mustn’t lose sight of the need to bolster the economy, which has felt the effect of three years of uncertainty and lack of decision-making. Economic data published by NISRA last week revealed that the NI private sector contracted over the last quarter, and has been stagnant over the past year. The recent publication of new valuations for business properties has put rates back on the agenda, so it was encouraging to hear the new Finance Minister, Conor Murphy, in one of his first interviews, articulate his understanding of the struggle small businesses are facing with the burden of rates. FSB led the campaign to have the Small Business Rate Relief introduced in 2010 and have successfully lobbied for its continuation ever since. Given the rise in property valuations and toughening of conditions for businesses with a physical presence since its introduction, the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme should now be embedded permanently, extended and enhanced. Northern Ireland currently offers the least generous rate relief for SMEs anywhere in the UK, yet firms here contribute more to the economy here than in England, Scotland or Wales. It is vital that the relief attracts additional support, recognising the value of small businesses in all sectors who breathe life into our towns, villages and high streets and provide a service to communities right across Northern Ireland.
Connectivity of people and place should also feature heavily in the in-trays of new Ministers, particularly Diane Dodds and Nichola Mallon, at Economy and Infrastructure, respectively. Having access to decent broadband is now essential for small business owners and a key component of achieving the previous Programme for Government objective of a balanced regional economy. Project Stratum aims to improve broadband for premises which currently cannot access superfast speeds, for rural communities in particular; it is vital that this project moves forward as soon as possible. During the three years of political stasis, most infrastructure projects which are necessary to improve the business climate have stalled. The ‘New Decade, New Approach’ document contained a number of FSB’s key infrastructure asks, including better connectivity between Belfast and Dublin, completion of the A5 and A6 upgrades, and improving our motorway system by building the long-overdue York Street Interchange.
As with the Ireland rugby team, which has creatively overcome differences and potential divisions to build one of the greatest teams on the planet, the new Executive must do the hard work, be ambitious, build its popularity and grow its support. Through all of this, it will need to find the necessary funding to deliver key projects which will, in turn, pay for themselves in the long-run by stimulating growth and creating a more vibrant economy.
Whether providing businesses with extra support, or connecting people and place, delivery of these projects will benefit voters of all the parties in the Assembly. We are facing a rare opportunity at the moment where the electorate will stand shoulder to shoulder with this Executive to help move away from the ‘zero sum’ politics of the past and towards a ‘win-win’ where everyone can share the glory. Our Ministers must remember they are all on the same team now, raise their game, and deliver for the whole of Northern Ireland.