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The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Alex Maskey, yesterday hosted the ‘Investing in Social Enterprise’ event at Parliament Buildings and told guests including the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs Joseph Kennedy III, that economic and social value should go together in growth.

The event was also attended by the Chief Executive of Social Enterprise NI ,Colin Jess and the Head of the Civil Service Jayne Brady as well as representatives from the social enterprise sector.

Speaker Maskey yesterday said:

“I am delighted to host this important event in Parliament Buildings. It is my pleasure to host the Envoy and I want to thank him for making time in his programme to attend this event. 

“Throughout my political life, I have had the privilege of working with countless social enterprise organisations, whether that was during my time on Belfast City Council, as an MLA for both West Belfast and South Belfast, as Chair of the Social Development Committee and as a member in the past of the All Party Group on Social Enterprise.

“The Speaker’s role of leading outreach initiatives to increase awareness of the Assembly’s role and how the community can engage and influence policy, scrutiny and legislation, has also given me an added perspective.

“Through all of those roles, I have always understood the importance of connecting high level government policy and strategy with the work that is being done on the ground, and the risks when that does not happen.”

Alex Maskey continued:

“During President Biden’s visit to Belfast, he stressed that peace and economic opportunity go together. And the following day, during the Envoy’s first visit to Parliament Buildings, I set out the importance of ensuring that future economic investment was not just located in local areas but was rooted in communities and added greater value to them.

“No-one here will need convinced that we will have stronger outcomes if we build both economic value and social value.

“As we look to the future, I think it is very fitting that we have MLAs, the US Envoy, the Head of the Civil Service and senior officials all here to listen and engage with social enterprises this evening.”

For media queries

Communications Office
Northern Ireland Assembly
Email: info@niassembly.gov.uk