Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any assessment made of the effectiveness of existing business support programmes in addressing barriers faced by rural businesses.
Minister for the Economy: My Department provides a range of business support through Invest Northern Ireland and InterTradeIreland.
Invest NI gives due regard to rural needs in accordance with the Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. Rural Needs Impact Assessments are undertaken, where applicable, for relevant programmes and policies, including consideration of potential barriers to accessing Invest NI services. This helps ensure rural needs are considered in the development and delivery of its support.
InterTradeIreland’s supports help businesses, including those in rural areas, address barriers relating to market access, innovation, skills, access to finance and business networking. Participation in InterTradeIreland programmes is generally well spread throughout the North, reflecting the accessibility of its supports across different geographic areas. Through its 2026-2028 Corporate Plan, Maximising Economic Opportunities across Ireland, InterTradeIreland has committed to further strengthening its regional presence and engagement to ensure its programmes remain accessible, relevant and impactful at a local level.
Go Succeed is a council-owned and delivered service operating across all 11 council areas. Councils are responsible for rural needs considerations and have put arrangements in place to support rural access and monitor uptake across the region.
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