Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 24 January 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement

Belfast Protests: Discussion

10:55 am

Mr. Glyn Roberts:

I am tempted to give a glib response and say, come to Belfast for a pint this weekend. Maybe that does not sound cheeky, but it is a question of getting the word out that Belfast is open for business. It is not a blockaded city and offers fantastic retail outlets and hospitality. One of the reasons I wanted to come down here was to get that message across. Many of my members and those in the hospitality sector rely on trade from the South. It is important that continues to be the case, and vice versa. If there is one message the committee can convey, it is to encourage people to come to Belfast and support traders there by shopping, socialising and enjoying food and drink. It is not necessarily a political thing, but that is what we need the most. We need footfall and people to support us. That is one of the main reasons why I am down here today. If Deputy Conlan and his colleagues can do that, it will be a good job of work.

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