“Unnecessary delays” over an application to mine gold in Co Tyrone are “harming” Northern Ireland’s reputation, the US ambassador to the UK has warned.

In a speech in Belfast , Warren Stephens said a decision needed to be made over the Dalradian gold mine project “fast”, stating it could bring jobs and investment to the region.

In a strongly-worded address, the diplomat also said “bureaucracy must not become a barrier to progress” in Northern Ireland as he raised concerns about the price of energy and the speed of planning decisions.

He told the audience: “You cannot expect a US company to make a major investment here if they cannot be certain when they will get an answer from planning authorities.”

Mr Stephens, who was appointed ambassador by US President Donald Trump last year,

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