In response to the Chancellor’s 2021 Budget, Kirsty McManus, National Director, Institute of Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI), said:
“The additional expenditure that will now be available to the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of the Chancellor’s Budget announcement will be a shot in the arm for the local administration.
“It is incumbent now on Ministers to deliver on the incredible potential it presents, with a focus, through targeted investment in key services and infrastructure, on ensuring this region is fit to capitalise on the green recovery as we continue to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
“With a pot of £70m being made available to small and medium enterprise through the British Business Bank, there was much in the Budget to cheer local business leaders.
“The reduction in the Air Passenger Duty rate for domestic flights from 2023, in particular, is a hugely welcome development and follows sustained calls from the business community over many years.
“While we would like to see the levy scrapped all together, the reduction will provide welcome relief to our members, many of which rely on the regional air network to connect with colleagues and customers in the crucial Great Britain market.”