Bombardier calls for political resolution

Last year, Bombardier said it would be cutting about 20% of its Northern Ireland workforce over the next two years

The manufacturing sector needs to see a swift political resolution at Stormont, says head of Bombardier in Northern Ireland.

Michael Ryan was speaking at an event to highlight the importance of having an industrial strategy in Northern Ireland.

The manufacturing sector has been going through a difficult few years, with high-profile job losses.

Bombardier has been shedding jobs globally.

It is cutting about 20% of its Northern Ireland workforce over the next two years as part of global restructuring plans.

Earlier this month, Stormont's power-sharing institutions collapsed over the fall-out from a botched green energy scheme.

The political row over the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, which is running £490m over-budget, led to a snap election being called on 2 March.

'Work constructively'

Mr Ryan said: "We need to keep working on the issues, expecting and knowing there will be a resolution at a political level.

"We need it as soon as we possibly can, and then we can find a way to work constructively together.

"In Northern Ireland, obviously we have had a few, very high-profile disappointments in recent years, with the closures of some companies. The rest of us, including Bombardier, have been challenged as well.

"We all do our risk planning at a macro-global level, at a national level and at a local level in Northern Ireland.

"We can't foresee all the risks, but we can try to mitigate what happens and look to the long term."