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| Stormont team travel to Brussels | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers have travelled to Brussels for meetings with senior European Union officials. | |
| During the two-day visit, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness will hold talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. | During the two-day visit, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness will hold talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. |
| Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew, Ian Paisley Jnr and Gerry Kelly also made the trip. | |
| The team aer also expected to meet EU commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel. | |
| Mr Barroso visited Northern Ireland last April and promised EU support to help strengthen the economy. | Mr Barroso visited Northern Ireland last April and promised EU support to help strengthen the economy. |
| Jose Manuel Barroso visited Northern Ireland last year | Jose Manuel Barroso visited Northern Ireland last year |
| He also announced the creation of a taskforce aimed at creating economic growth and innovation. | He also announced the creation of a taskforce aimed at creating economic growth and innovation. |
| During their Brussels' visit, the Stormont delegation will meet Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner who was appointed by Mr Barroso to head that taskforce. | During their Brussels' visit, the Stormont delegation will meet Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner who was appointed by Mr Barroso to head that taskforce. |
| The delegation also attended a reception at the Northern Ireland Executive's Brussels office on Wednesday evening. | |
| Northern Ireland has received about 2.5bn euro in regional support from Europe over the past 20 years. | Northern Ireland has received about 2.5bn euro in regional support from Europe over the past 20 years. |
| However, Northern Ireland no longer has Objective One status - the term given to regions of the EU which qualify for the most support from Brussels. | However, Northern Ireland no longer has Objective One status - the term given to regions of the EU which qualify for the most support from Brussels. |