Through the Investment Strategy, we are providing a £5 billion stimulus over the next four years into the construction and related sectors of our economy - money that will flow across the region and into the wider economy. This will keep people in productive employment and put money into wage packets at a time of understandable concern for job security. When it is appropriate, we will seek to bring forward investment in those public works that are more labour-intensive at the expense of schemes that would deliver a lower employment impact. Research has demonstrated that areas like facilities and roads maintenance, refurbishment, upgrades and extensions typically support twice as many jobs as similar value works that require the purchase of land and specialist materials. The Executive is determined to maximise the impact on jobs of every pound invested in order to speed up economic recovery.

We value the support of the business community and are working with sector representatives to ensure that small and medium size enterprises across the region are helped to bid for public works. An understanding of our natural resources and local skills base during the design and specification of public works can also advantage local suppliers in ways consistent with public procurement law and value for money.

The next phase of capital investment will target the costs of doing business here and help to make us more productive and more competitive when compared to other regions. Employers and investors alike tell us that the quality of infrastructure is a very important factor in their investment decisions - although other factors like taxation are important too. Good transport and telecoms links, reliable and affordable energy and a schools/college system producing a well educated workforce are essential 'must haves' to encourage investment and to help local businesses to grow and compete in an increasingly global marketplace. As evidence of this, our recent success in attracting high-value jobs and investment from major US corporations was made possible because, through the Investment Strategy, the Executive has delivered investment in cutting edge telecoms connectivity. We now have faster and more reliable access to the global internet than many other competitor regions - and this is paying real dividends in terms of new jobs.

New high speed telecoms links now enable NYSE Euronext to route streaming market data from major stock exchanges in Europe and North America into its Belfast site. This has made it possible for the company to locate some core operations such as systems support and quality assurance functions in Belfast, supporting recent job creation announcements. In the creative economy, too, the decision of major film producers to consider our potential as a production location reflects the very high speed connections from here to post-production facilities on the west coast, USA. We now have a distinctive competitive advantage as a result of these investments.

Whilst this region is relatively small, we have the advantage that we can act together, act quickly and be responsive to the needs of the economy. Our Investment Strategy is an important means of coordinating such action to ensure maximum impact from every pound invested.