The bank is the second largest in America, and the UK government recently said it would create 1000 jobs in Northern Ireland as part of a series of investments announced during Donald Trump’s second state visit.
However, there have been no press statements on the matter issued by Sinn Fein, its economy minister Caoimhe Archibald or by the first minister’s joint office. The investment has been welcomed by the DUP, and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly met with senior Bank of America figures at Stormont on Tuesday.
Michelle O’Neill and SF junior minister Aisling Reilly were absent from the meeting.
DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said the investment “has been met with an inexplicable silence from Sinn Féin leadership”.
“It is inconceivable that Sinn Féin, the party holding the positions of First Minister, Finance Minister, and Economy Minister, has snubbed this transformative economic opportunity for the region.
“This major commitment from a global financial leader, part of a broader £1.25 billion US-UK investment package, underscores Northern Ireland’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation and skilled talent.
“Yet, Sinn Féin’s absence from engagements with Bank of America and their failure to publicly welcome the investment, raises serious concerns. “The self proclaimed ‘First Minister for all’ Michelle O’Neill’s boycott of related UK-US discussions and Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald’s lack of comment suggests a troubling prioritisation of political posturing over economic progress”, the Upper Bann MLA said.
He said the people of Northern Ireland “deserve better than a leadership that sidelines opportunity for ideological reasons. Sinn Féin must clarify their position, engage constructively with this investment, and put the economic future of our communities first. Northern Ireland’s workforce and businesses cannot afford to be caught in the crossfire of political grandstanding”.
Sinn Fein did not respond when asked why it didn’t attend a meeting with Bank of America at Stormont, and whether their absence is related to the party’s stance on the Gaza conflict.
The News Letter asked the SF-run economy department if it could point to any press releases on the US investment. There was no response at the time of writing.
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