Northern Ireland is 'back in business' Conor Murphy tells US investors

Political stability means Northern Ireland is "back in business", Conor Murphy has been telling potential American investors.

The economy minister is currently in the US ahead of St Patrick's Day celebrations.

He said he has been highlighting the certainty around post-Brexit trading arrangements.

He said he wants to focus attention on Northern Ireland's dual access to EU and GB markets.

Mr Murphy has been in New York meeting Irish-American businesses as well as stakeholders at the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington DC and at a US Chamber event.

"Many businesses back home also want to export not just to Europe but to the US," he told BBC News NI.

He said, prior to this visit, there had been some uncertainty because Brexit negotiations were ongoing but added that "most people feel that is concluded".

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had wanted changes to the way Northern Ireland trades with Great Britain to ease its concerns over post-Brexit rules and the Irish Sea border.

As a result, the party boycotted Stormont's power-sharing government for two years in protest at post-Brexit trade rules.

But in January Stormont was restored after the DUP came to an agreement.

"It's all about explaining that we are back in business and dual market proposition," said Mr Murphy.

"This is a unique time - there's a full week where the entire focus is on Ireland - not many other countries get that attention," he added.

However he said that investment would take time.

"These decisions are not taken on a whim - people do due diligence and we need to make sure they understand," he said.

However, he said that, when it comes to low growth in the Northern Ireland economy "we cannot divorce ourselves from broader political and economic circumstances".

"We want to see that picture improve but it will not happen overnight.

"What we need to set that trajectory and work with businesses over here [US] and Europe who want to do business."

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson the Democratic Unionist Party leader, who is also in Washington, said the reception had been "very positive".

He said there were "real opportunities" to be gleaned from promoting the political stability at Stormont.

Reflecting on how the visit compared to 2023 when the DUP was under pressure to restore devolution, Sir Jeffrey said: "I am not sure I was public enemy number one.

"I think people did understand that there were issues that needed to be resolved if we were to see political stability restored in Northern Ireland."

The next time we will see the first and the deputy first ministers will be at the Speaker's lunch today on Capitol Hill.

This will be a chance for the first and deputy first ministers, Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, to be in the same room as President Biden as well as a whole host of high level Republican and Democrat Irish-American politicians.

The visit has gone down well judging by the response they received at the gala dinner this week and the various meetings they have held with the American Chamber of Commerce and other leading business lights in the US.

There is a great sense that at last we have political stability in Northern Ireland, the sense that they might be able to push on and cash in on the dual market access and the other elements contained in the Windsor Framework to try and gear direct investment into Northern Ireland.

You can see how things have softened around the edges in terms of the relationship of the ministers and it is all about creating that impression for the American audience that Stormont is really back up and running now and very much open for business.