Conclusion 3

The instability of the Executive has been raised as a significant constraint on economic growth in Northern Ireland, delaying critical economic and infrastructure decisions, and undermining business and investor confidence. Northern Ireland’s inadequate infrastructure and ongoing skills challenges are persistent barriers to growth. The ongoing absence of an Executive budget means that these barriers cannot be effectively tackled, putting further strain on economic growth in Northern Ireland. We remain concerned about the Executive’s ability to use the tools at its disposal effectively to overcome Northern Ireland’s skills and infrastructure challenges. (Conclusion, Paragraph 27)