THE Department of Finance is committed to establishing a hub in Derry as well as creating social economy policies to generate new employment opportunities here, Sinn Féin’s Martina Anderson has said.
The Foyle MLA was commenting after leading a delegation of local businesses to meet with the department’s lead official.
Said Martina Anderson: “I was very encouraged by the Permanent Secretary’s commitment to establishing a Civil Service Regional Hub in the city centre, bringing public sector workers here, generating footfall for the city centre post-Covid and reducing pollution as local staff will no longer need to commute to Belfast.
“We also reiterated the need for all Executive departments to support the council’s ‘Buy Social’ policy which will help create jobs for the long-term unemployed.
“The need for more apprenticeships and a jobs programme to boost skills were also discussed.
“The Sinn Féin Finance Minister Conor Murphy has already endorsed the need for such initiatives and the discussions with the Permanent Secretary were part of that ongoing process which we will continue to progress in the time ahead.”
