Mr. Glyn Roberts:

It is a conservative figure, to which we must add the cost of policing and the impact on potential investors. I know of investors who have seen the pictures on television and pulled their projects. The impact is difficult to quantify, but the Deputy is right - we must bring the protests on the streets to an end. The issues must be resolved politically, as doing nothing is not an option. We must do what we can to get people in Belfast, in particular, to support businesses in their city centre at this difficult time. We have said it is their civic duty to do so. Not every road in Belfast is blockaded. There is not violence in every part of the city. It is only in a relatively small number of areas and there is a small minority involved in the rioting. The vast majority have no time for taking part in riots and attacking the police. They may have their own views about the Union flag, which is fine, but they do not believe it is necessary to attack the police to prove a point.

We have to start promoting the city. A week or two ago there was an unofficial Twitter campaign, Operation Sit In, to encourage people to stay in Belfast after work. It had a degree of success and certainly took the edge off it. We have been considering how we can build on it by using social media to encourage people to support traders at this difficult time. We have to do everything we can in that regard. The most pressing need is to increase footfall in Belfast city centre. I hope the entire campaign will start to bear some fruit this weekend, but we must deal with the elephant in the room, that is, ending the protests and letting the politicians take charge of the issue.