Many businessmen praise Invest Northern Ireland, the agency charged with regional development, for pulling in high-quality inward investment, especially in finance, technology and business services.

ECONOMIST: Northern Ireland's economy

The minister said this was not true, adding that nearly 60% of Invest Northern Ireland funding in the previous programme for government period went to small and medium-sized businesses.

BBC: Question Time - Employment and Learning, and Enterprise

Mr Kingon added that Northern Ireland's business sector and the new economic development agency Invest Northern Ireland - being created to replaced the small business funder LEDU and the Industrial Development Board - faced a difficult year.

BBC: 'Challenges ahead' for NI economy

Professor Monds said Andor was "an excellent example of the entrepreneurship and commitment to innovation which is at the core of Invest NI's strategy to accelerate Northern Ireland's economic growth".

BBC: NI's top exporter is named

They either take Northern Ireland out of their thinking frame or delay investment, or their shareholders say why should you invest in a country where there is not the stability you would expect?

BBC: Northern Ireland's economic fears