Mr Robinson was speaking at the gala event which recognises Northern Ireland’s best organisations and firms who have faced up to the challenges of pursuing business excellence.
Mr Robinson said: “Over the past decade we have laid the foundations of prosperity in Northern Ireland, those foundations have not been swept away by the economic recession. The very things that made us competitive still remain. Northern Ireland can still offer the potential investor a highly educated, skilled workforce, a robust infrastructure and a highly competitive cost environment with operating costs significantly lower than the rest of Europe.
“Previously businesses that invested here have gained a competitive edge over their contemporaries. In this present climate it would be easy to allow the recession to dull that competitive edge. We must not sit back and lick our wounds instead we must strike out and fight to maintain our position.
“I am heartened by what I have seen at the Quality Awards. I have seen examples of business men and women pursuing innovative cutting edge solutions and achieving outstanding results, showing the world what we can achieve in Northern Ireland.”
Notes to Editors:
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