NI's Economy Minister has met with representatives from Moore Concrete in Ballymena, Co Antrim.

Minister Simon Hamilton commended the firm and said it is 'at the heart of the Northern Ireland economy'.

Mr Hamilton said: "I want to transform Northern Ireland into a globally competitive economy. The new Programme for Government framework contains a set of outcomes which reflect our ambitions to grow the economy and improve our economic competitiveness. A refocused economic strategy will further support and reflect our ambition to rebalance the local economy.

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"Reducing the rate of Corporation Tax to 12.5% from 2018 will be a powerful lever that can stimulate economic prosperity. It is important that we continue with this work in preparation for this important change and to maximise the opportunity that a lower Corporation Tax rate will bring.

"Skills development is perhaps the single most important building block for constructing a globally competitive economy. Firms like Moore Concrete demonstrate that ongoing skills development are an elevator to economic prosperity and social inclusion and I am determined that we continue to build upon the progress already made and use skills to change lives and transform our economy."

(CD/JP)