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| Dale Farm: £40m project 'on hold' over lack of energy infrastructure | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A £40m investment is on hold because of delays in getting energy infrastructure to the west of Northern Ireland, a leading businessman has said. | |
| David Dobbin, chief executive of Dale Farm, said his firm wanted to invest in a project in Cookstown, County Tyrone. | David Dobbin, chief executive of Dale Farm, said his firm wanted to invest in a project in Cookstown, County Tyrone. |
| He said planning had been approved but the correct electricity and gas facilities were not in place. | |
| He told the BBC's Inside Business show it was "frustrating" to be told to move the project east of the river Bann. | He told the BBC's Inside Business show it was "frustrating" to be told to move the project east of the river Bann. |
| "We want to put a £40m investment into Cookstown. We've got Invest NI support, we've government support, we've got our planning - we can't go," Mr Dobbin told the programme. | "We want to put a £40m investment into Cookstown. We've got Invest NI support, we've government support, we've got our planning - we can't go," Mr Dobbin told the programme. |
| "We're waiting now until gas comes, because the electricity [suppliers] can't help us." | "We're waiting now until gas comes, because the electricity [suppliers] can't help us." |
| Dale Farm is Northern Ireland's largest dairy business. | Dale Farm is Northern Ireland's largest dairy business. |
| The company produces and sells a wide range of dairy products throughout the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to more than 45 other countries worldwide. | The company produces and sells a wide range of dairy products throughout the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to more than 45 other countries worldwide. |
| Its goods include milk, cream, cheese, butter, dairy spreads, yogurts and desserts. | Its goods include milk, cream, cheese, butter, dairy spreads, yogurts and desserts. |
| Mr Dobbin claimed Northern Ireland Electricity had suggested moving the Cookstown project to Ballymena, County Antrim, because there was "plenty of power there". | Mr Dobbin claimed Northern Ireland Electricity had suggested moving the Cookstown project to Ballymena, County Antrim, because there was "plenty of power there". |
| "So that's saying 'move your investment from west of the [river] Bann to the east because that's where our generators and that's where our grid is'," Mr Dobbin said. | "So that's saying 'move your investment from west of the [river] Bann to the east because that's where our generators and that's where our grid is'," Mr Dobbin said. |
| "Economically we want to develop the west of the province and we're there already and we're creating valuable jobs, so it's frustrating for us." | "Economically we want to develop the west of the province and we're there already and we're creating valuable jobs, so it's frustrating for us." |
| Dale Farm is part of the United Dairy Farmers Group, a UK dairy farmer co-operative. | Dale Farm is part of the United Dairy Farmers Group, a UK dairy farmer co-operative. |
| You can hear more of David Dobbin's interview on Inside Business on BBC Radio Ulster at 13:30 GMT on Sunday, 14 December. | You can hear more of David Dobbin's interview on Inside Business on BBC Radio Ulster at 13:30 GMT on Sunday, 14 December. |