BREADMAN Brian Irwin has warned the north's agri-food sector that "issues around Brexit aren't going away" - regardless of the outcome of efforts in Westminster and Brussels to have the most recent withdrawal deal ratified.
“Don't get tired of Brexit. Get used to it,” he told dinner guests just hours after Boris Johnston's revised deal was delivered to Brussels.
And he urged a "collaborative approach" from political leaders in the north - including restoring the Assembly - to help with the aftermath of October 31, however it pans out.
“This 1,000 days thing shouldn't be seen as a milestone, but rather a millstone on our economic progress,” he said.
Mr Irwin, whose day job is chairing the operations of the north's biggest independent bakery WD Irwin & Sons in Portadown, was speaking at the 23rd annual dinner of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association.
It represents an industry employing 100,000 people and which expects to swell turnover to £7 billion by 2020, led by export growth in chicken, beef and dairy.
The dinner in the Belfast Hilton, sponsored by Danske Bank and attended by 200-plus guests, heard that the food and drink industry can continue to grow despite the challenge posed by Brexit - but only if politicians are willing to work together to champion the sector.
Mr Irwin said: “Northern Ireland is uniquely affected by Brexit, and as a body we've lobbied consistently at all levels to make it clear a no deal Brexit is unthinkable. We simply cannot entertain it. As an industry we cannot operate with a border on the island of Ireland, nor can we absorb tariffs to export to Europe.
“We need a workable solution. We broadly welcome this latest withdrawal deal, which offers important safeguards for Northern Ireland businesses to continue trading east-west and north-south.
“But while many key areas have been addressed, there is still a considerable amount of detail to be worked out, including on VAT. We would urge flexibility from our political leaders at this time in order to progress with a deal.”
He highlighted the opportunities for the sector, given the right support from local politicians, adding: “Despite the havoc caused by Brexit, our agri-food sector is in a period of growth.
“We've had many successes and have created a great reputation in Great Britain and many countries further afield. There is a strong case for pushing the industry forward as a force for economic growth.”
Keynote speaker at the dinner was Co-op Food chief executive Jo Whitfield, who has driven successful growth at the cooperative through a period of transformational change for the business.
