Mr Chairman, Party Leader, Party colleagues, distinguished guests and friends, what a wonderful Conference we are having.
The Democratic Unionist Party has a clear vision for Northern Ireland - secure and more prosperous within our United Kingdom.
We are the Party that will speak up for Northern Ireland and lead for Unionism.
Because we care deeply about this place and its people.
As custodians of Northern Ireland, it is our job to leave Northern Ireland a better place to live, work and raise a family for the next generation.
I am looking forward to the big man himself, the boss, our Party Leader, Gavin Robinson, setting out his stall very soon.
Conference, next Saturday will mark the historic signing of the Ulster Covenant.
Ulster Day is a time to reflect back and think about the pride people had for Crown and Country.
The men and women who signed their name made their mark for Northern Ireland.
They had a vision and determination to see this part of the world thrive.
Today we proudly stand on their shoulders.
The Northern Ireland of today is markedly different from 1912 - but those same values that forged our past will also shape our future.
A century ago, Northern Ireland was renowned for shipbuilding and its linen factories.
Today we are a prime destination for foreign direct investment - a global leader in a host of areas, including cyber security, fintech and advanced manufacturing.
Our high-speed digital infrastructure is better than anywhere in the UK or Europe and we are known the world over for our tourism and hospitality brands.
All of this gives cause for optimism.
However, there is still much work to do.
We gather today to chart our course and build for the future.
We owe it to everyone living the length and breadth of Northern Ireland from Enniskillen to Coleraine, Armagh to Londonderry, Omagh to Belfast to make Northern Ireland work.
And that means investing in Northern Ireland. Not just in the here and now, but for the future.
Our infrastructure - the roads we travel, the bridges that connect us, the public transport systems that serve us, and the digital networks that drive innovation - all of this is the backbone of our economy and the fabric of everyday life in Northern Ireland.
Yet, we know that much of our infrastructure is in need of modernisation and expansion to meet the demands of today and tomorrow.
Conference, it is the DUP who is up for that challenge.
We won’t simply stick our head in the sand.
In the Executive, the DUP is working on an Investment Strategy which target intervention in roads, transport, schools, health facilities, social housing, water infrastructure and a range of other areas.
In recent years, we have seen the challenges that outdated infrastructure can bring.
Traffic congestion and unreliable public transport links are just the tip of the iceberg.
When homes, schools and new businesses can’t be built, and water pollution incidents increase, because water infrastructure is creaking at the seams, these are not mere inconveniences.
They undermine our economy, our competitiveness and overall quality of life.
Addressing these issues head-on will create a stronger, more resilient Northern Ireland.
When we enhance our transport network, we make it easier for businesses to operate, for goods to move, and for investors to see Northern Ireland as a prime location for growth.
Improved infrastructure will also boost tourism by making our region more accessible.
Being from the West - the most westerly and most beautiful part of Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and the entire world! - my aim is to ensure more buses and, yes, rail, make it to Fermanagh.
Why limit our ambition?
For fear of my offending my North Coast colleagues - I should add that we need to ensure regional balance in parts of Northern Ireland.
The lack of rural and coastal transport links is harming economic growth.
We cannot continue to have communities served with public transport that comes twice a day during the week.
Our new Grand Central Station is bigger than Kings Cross Station.
It is a perfect opportunity to have buses lined up to service North, East, West and South and everything in between.
We must also pursue better links by sea, air and rail between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the rest of the British Isles.
Be in no doubt. We will challenge the Labour Government to ensure that no part of Northern Ireland is left behind.
A week ago, it was our DUP Ministers pressing the Government to ensure Northern Ireland’s City Growth deals were unpaused. That work continues.
City and Growth deals are not some fine words on a page - they are catalysts for driving growth and creating jobs.
They represent business, tourism and infrastructure projects to the tune of £1.2bn.
We will not stand idly by and allow Causeway Coast and Glens and the Mid South West Growth Deals to lie in abeyance.
Northern Ireland was promised this investment, Northern Ireland deserves this investment and Northern Ireland must get this investment.
Building for the future also means investing in our workforce.
It was a DUP Education Minister that fought for, and delivered, a fair pay increase for teachers when devolution was restored in February.
It was this Party that ensured our school support staff would get the pay and grading they deserve.
We are absolutely committed to making sure that everyone in Northern Ireland has the best start in life and the opportunity to reach their full potential.
That’s why we are delivering a childcare subsidy for working parents. It is why we ensured that better support for children with special educational needs was front and centre in the draft Programme for Government.
We place value on the people who making Northern Ireland work. Northern Ireland’s most valuable asset is our people.
We are proud of Northern Ireland and our achievements – with our rich cultural heritage and sporting achievements we do have a story to tell and something to celebrate.
So we thank Minister Lyons for giving us an opportunity to show that pride as we celebrate our recent Paris Olympians in the coming weeks in the SSE arena. I hope you have got your ticket!
Our Communities Minister places value on our cultural and heritage and gave millions towards the Musical instruments funding stream. Bands up and down the country can thank our team for delivery on that.
Conference, we have been able to deliver this in spite of the challenges facing our public finances.
While others use those pressures as an excuse to dither and delay, this Party doesn’t shy away when things get tough.
Let us not forget that it was our Party Leader who started the campaign for fair and needs-based funding for this place.
It was Gavin Robinson who stood up in Westminster and challenged the crippling legacy of underfunding in Northern Ireland per head of population compared to other parts of the UK.
We are not johnny-come-latelies to this cause.
And we are clear that hard pressed families should not have to carry a heavier tax burden, and pay more, for basic frontline services that are in decline.
Back in December, outside Hillsborough Castle, the DUP made it clear that extra money on the table for Northern Ireland would not be enough to sustain and transform our public services.
Doug, Michelle and Naomi, meanwhile, were busy hailing it as a success.
They aren’t saying that now.
Ladies and gentlemen, the DUP do real politics.
We have fire in our hearts to work and deliver for Northern Ireland.
We are not in the business of complaining about problems.
We want to find solutions.
While some others focus on Northern Ireland’s destruction, everyone in this room is bound by a shared vision - a vision of progress, prosperity, and a thriving Northern Ireland in which every citizen has the opportunity to succeed.
If we are serious about delivering this brighter future, we must prioritise and champion infrastructure investment.
No other Party in Northern Ireland has a better track record of securing investment in this place we call home than the Democratic Unionist Party.
Conference, we have done it before and we will do it again.
This is about much more than building roads and bridges - it is about building a future where Northern Ireland can thrive - where communities are connected, our economy is competitive, and living standards are high.
In closing, I urge you all to join me in this endeavour.
Let us work together to promote a Northern Ireland that is vibrant, prosperous, and an integral part of the United Kingdom.
Let us put in the hard yards now to the benefit of those who come after us.
And let’s build a Northern Ireland we can all be proud of.
Together, I am confident that we can achieve remarkable things.