The United States Ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens, has issued a stark warning that "unnecessary delays" in a major gold mine application are actively harming Northern Ireland's international reputation. During a speech in Belfast, the ambassador stressed the urgent need for a swift decision on the long-pending Dalradian project.
A Call for Decisive Action on Investment
In a strongly-worded address delivered at a Belfast Chamber dinner at Queen's University, Ambassador Stephens did not mince his words. He stated that bureaucracy must not be allowed to stifle progress in the region. The diplomat explicitly linked the prolonged planning process to a reluctance among US firms to invest, telling the audience, "You cannot expect a US company to make a major investment here if they cannot be certain when they will get an answer from planning authorities."
Mr Stephens, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, acknowledged Northern Ireland as a place that "punches above its weight." However, he tempered this praise with significant concerns, specifically citing high energy prices and slow approval processes as key barriers to building a globally competitive economy.
The Dalradian Gold Mine: A Project in Limbo
The ambassador singled out the Dalradian gold mine application as a prime example of the problem. The project, which is backed by US investment, proposes an underground mine for gold, silver, and copper at the Curraghinalt site near Greencastle in County Tyrone. The company has been operating in the area for 15 years.
Dalradian says the mine could create and support up to 1,000 jobs and inject a substantial $5 billion (£4.1 billion) into the local economy. Despite this potential, the project has faced significant opposition from groups concerned about its environmental and health impacts.
The planning timeline reveals the extent of the delay. A planning application was first submitted in 2017. A Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) inquiry was then ordered in 2020 by the then infrastructure minister, Nichola Mallon. Public hearings for this inquiry began in Omagh earlier this year but were suspended after just three days of evidence.
Broader Implications for the Northern Ireland Economy
Ambassador Stephens described the eight-year wait for a decision as a "symptom of a broader issue" that goes beyond a single project. He urged authorities to "end this unnecessary delay," emphasising that with rising gold prices, the mine represents a valuable opportunity to fund local services like healthcare and education.
He connected the issue to the wider US-UK trade relationship, referencing the Economic Prosperity Deal signed in May and over $350 billion in cross-investment deals signed during President Trump's recent state visit. This included Bank of America's commitment to bring up to a thousand jobs to Northern Ireland.
Echoing the ambassador's sentiments, Clare Guinness, Chief Executive of Belfast Chamber, stated that it is imperative for all stakeholders to collaborate on removing barriers like planning challenges. She argued that this is essential to attract increased global investment and fully unlock the potential of the US-Northern Ireland relationship.
The ambassador's comments on the gold mine are part of a broader pattern of him advocating for US commercial interests in the UK, having recently also critiqued NHS drug pricing and the UK government's decision on a nuclear power station in Wales.
