Business grouping sees political stability as key to economic growth

The business community in Northern Ireland was not noted for its political involvement over the years - but then the peace process came along.

Last week Group Seven, representing business, industrial and trade union interests in the North, suggested that only the formation of the executive at the same time as decommissioning occurred would break the impasse in the Northern Assembly.

The Group of Seven (G7) was established in July 1996, following disturbances during the Drumcree strand-off and has at "critical junctions" in the peace process released statements in support of dialogue. It also held meetings with politicians urging them to persist with the multi-party talks until an agreement was reached.

Ms Linda Brown, of the Institute of Directors, has stressed that while the Drumcree stand-off acted as a "catalyst" to the formation of G7, the resumption of IRA violence and slow progress at the multi-party talks were also factors.

The chairman of G7 - and of the Ulster Bank - Sir George Quigley, refutes criticism - mainly from the Democratic Unionist - that the group are merely self-appointed bureaucrats.

"We are all chairmen and chairwomen of respected organisations and we have simply come together as a group - business, trade unions and economic development bodies - to encourage a recognition in the community as a whole, particularly the politicians, that political stability is an absolutely essential for rapid economic growth." Lobbying parties only form a part of G7's overall brief, which is also to focus on putting forward a "concerted view" to politicians at the Assembly on economic matters with a view to long-term stability and a better economy, said Mr Tom Gillen, of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The slow pace of the formation of political infrastructures as outlined in the Belfast Agreement, in particular on economic issues such as the North/South bodies on trade and tourism, has caused some disquiet amongst people in the business, trade union and tourism industry. Ms Brown said G7 is concerned that politicians do not "close the window of opportunity" presented by the Belfast Agreement.

G7 originally comprised of seven organisations - the North's three leading business organisations, the Confederation of British Industry, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Institute of Directors.

It also includes the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Northern Ireland Hospitality Federation, (representing the tourism industry), the Northern Ireland Growth Challenge and the Northern Ireland Economic Council.

The Federation of Small Businesses joined the group later, but members decided not to change the group's name. Four of these organisations - the CBI, the IOD, the Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Business - will nominate seven members to the new Civic Forum, which was debated in the Assembly yesterday.

Initially, G7 was viewed with suspicion by some of the political parties. Some felt it was simply reflecting the British government's agenda, while others believed it to be covertly in support of those who favoured an all-Ireland solution.

There is no doubt that the leaking of an NIO media strategy document in 1998 left the business community, and in particular G7, smarting at the insinuation that it can be taken for granted by the British government.

There have been no meetings between G7 and the parties since the Belfast Agreement was signed last year. The group, stated Sir George, had hoped that its collective role was over when the agreement was signed, but following the Drumcree standoff in 1998 and the negative impact on the business community, opted to "re-engage", lobbying parties to resolve the issue. It is understood that G7 has held meetings with the Orange Order and the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition to discuss the parade and economic issues.

The issue of decommissioning and the executive has been hitting the headlines in recent weeks serving to further undermine faith in the Belfast Agreement, and the business community is looking at the long-term implications should the Assembly collapse.

"Stability means an increase in revenue pumped in to the Northern Ireland economy, creating more jobs and promoting inward investment," said Mr Felix Mooney of the Northern Ireland Hospitality Association.

Mr Sean Farren, the SDLP's economic spokesman, said he felt that a large part of the suspicion towards G7 when they first met with parties in the early days of the negotiations evolved as a result of "the lack of interaction between politicians and people in the business world over the years". However, things have changed, he added, and a more normal engagement between politicians and people in the business and trade union worlds is developing. Sir George said he did not believe there would be a need for G7 if political stability was created, the agreement was implemented in full and the Civic Forum was established. He added: "We would then have achieved the group's objectives, which brought it into being and it would then be up to other bodies to carry the torch."