Concern has been raised at the number of cyber jobs concentrated in the Greater Belfast area, as the sector is expected to play a crucial role in the future development of economies across Northern Ireland.
It comes after it was revealed that 95% of the future-facing cyber jobs are based in Greater Belfast with only 2% in the city of Derry.
SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin has said that the figures are evidence of “how far we still have to go to rebalance our economy”.
The figures were revealed during a Department for the Economy (DfE) committee meeting, during which Alan Ramsey, Director for International Trade and Investment, was asked how the cyber sector can feed into a regionally balanced economy.
SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin
Mr Ramsey said that the current spread was ”actually quite good”, adding that an examination of regional profiles had given the department an understanding of “where things are happening”.
Mr Ramsey added that when it comes to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Invest NI planned to link up with local economic development partnerships and this will be based on “industrial capabilities, their research, their skills offer, local education university provision”.
During the meeting Mr Jeremy Fitch, Executive Director for Business Growth at Invest NI, spoke of hybrid working and suggested that although a company may be based in Belfast, employees could be working from home in other areas of Northern Ireland.
He said employees are based “right across Northern Ireland” adding that he believes it is “encouraging from a regional balance” point of view, while admitting “more work needs to be done”.
Mr Fitch added: “I say this having done the inward investment job, Northern Ireland is a small place and whenever we bring visits to Northern Ireland sometimes we will have them for one day or two days.
“We will determine the visits according to what they want to see. So if they want to meet with the universities, and fundamentally, what they are looking to do is satisfy themselves that they will be able to find the skills, they will tend to go to the areas of greater population and that’s just the reality of it.”
In response to the comments made during the meeting, Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin said that sounded like the “old Invest NI”, adding that Derry is 90 minutes from Belfast so “it is not outrageous” for investors to visit both.
Earlier this year, Economy Minister Conor Murphy put forward a “new approach” towards a “regionally balanced economy” at the centre of his economic vision. Mr Murphy said that “everyone should share in the benefits of prosperity”.
Ms McLaughlin recognised the Sub Regional Economic Plan that has been published and is “pleased” that a target has “finally been adopted” to distribute more investment outside the Belfast Metropolitan Area.
“However, I am concerned that at the recent Economy Committee meeting, we saw much of the same thinking that has dominated the economic development agency for years,” Mrs McLaughlin said.
“Continuing the same old model is simply not viable if we are to achieve regional economic balance across Northern Ireland. The figures presented by Invest NI reinforce the urgency with which we need to act to ensure jobs are being created in the North West.
“The technology sector is crucial for the future of Northern Ireland’s economy, but the fact that 95% of cyber jobs in Northern Ireland are based in the Greater Belfast Area is evidence of how far we still have to go to rebalance our economy.”
She added: “The north west has the opportunity to be front and centre of this expanding sector but this will only be possible with the assistance of Invest NI. It must step up to the plate on this issue and realise the potential of our second city.
“I also reject any assertion that Derry could benefit from jobs in Belfast because such jobs can be performed remotely. This is no substitute for roles based in Derry and all the economic benefits such investments can bring. I was disappointed that Invest NI still appears to hold this outdated viewpoint.”
In a statement, Invest NI said it “recognises the need to do more in the north west to improve the business base, to grow productivity performance, to encourage higher productivity businesses in the area and attract more FDI.”
A spokesperson added: “One of the strategic priorities in our 2024-27 Business Strategy is stronger regional balance.
“This includes a target that 65% of investments (offers we make) will be to companies based outside the Belfast Metropolitan Area, in order to encourage and stimulate economic growth throughout Northern Ireland.”