"People were so keen to get investment. In those days, there was quite significant unemployment in Northern Ireland, and that had been the general pattern in Northern Ireland for many, many years"

John Hume's quote is describing the financial situation in Northern Ireland in the past. He is highlighting the desperation of individuals to get financial investment in order to create tasks and decrease the high levels of joblessness. This had actually been an enduring issue in Northern Ireland, with joblessness rates staying high for many years. Hume's quote is a suggestion of the hard economic conditions that the people of Northern Ireland have actually faced in the past, and the requirement for financial investment to produce tasks and improve the economy. It also acts as a tip of the value of financial investment in creating jobs and improving the economy of any region.