Engagement with Wales can benefit Northern Ireland: Foster

Date published: 26 June 2015

The Minister was speaking following a bilateral meeting with the Welsh Finance Minister, Jane Hutt AM in Cardiff, today.

Welcoming the opportunity to engage with her Welsh counterpart, Arlene Foster said: “I have had a very worthwhile and productive meeting with Minister Hutt, during which we discussed a range of issues of mutual interest to our devolved administrations and considered opportunities for working together that will ultimately benefit the people of Northern Ireland and Wales.

“In particular, we had a useful discussion around the forthcoming Spending Review where I believe there is much merit in the devolved administrations collaborating and collectively presenting our agreed views on key issues to HM Treasury. We have common concerns across a range of areas such as the impact of further changes to welfare support, economic growth and capital investment. ”

Arlene Foster continued: “There is much we can learn from Wales and how they have overcome many challenges. I believe that we in Northern Ireland too can offer Wales some useful insights and learning experiences.”

Welsh Finance Minister Jane Hutt said: “I’d like to thank Arlene Foster for the constructive meeting we had today. We share similar concerns on a number of key issues which will impact on the whole of the UK, and I’m certain that both devolved administrations have much to learn from each other. I look forward to continuing to build on our strong relationship with Northern Ireland.”

Arlene Foster concluded: “I am committed to continued engagement with my counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Westminster to ensure we deliver the best possible outcomes for the people of Northern Ireland.”