Assembly reopening welcomed by ACE NI chair

The reopening of the Northern Ireland Assembly has been welcomed by the main organisation representing consultancy and engineering firms there, as Paul Johnston explains.

Andy Walker
14 January 2020

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The reopening of the Northern Ireland Assembly after a three-year hiatus is a very welcome development and the construction sector is looking forward to seeing what comes next. 

It is good news that Northern Ireland’s assembly is back up and running again.  We have had three years when few if any major infrastructure investment decisions have been made. The agreement between all the parties identifies many projects where urgent investment is required. Add to that the need for a focus on climate change, sustainability and the drive to net zero carbon and there is much work ahead for ACE member organisations in the province.

It is also very welcome to see a focus on cross-border infrastructure. The North-South electricity interconnector, the upgrade of the A5 from Derry/Londonderry to the border and a commitment to look at the feasibility of high-speed rail from Belfast to Dublin to Cork. We all know that effective resilient infrastructure is key to both economic development across the island and a more sustainable future for us all.

Paul Johnston is chair of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering Northern Ireland and a director at Arup.