WITH Britain opening official Brexit talks with the EU on Monday, the Irish equine sector’s voice should be well represented in the upcoming negotiations with new Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney also now responsible for Brexit and Agriculture Minister Michael Creed being reappointed to his agriculture portfolio in new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s Cabinet reshuffle.

The shape of the national Brexit narrative for the agri-equine industry is now largely in the hands of the two Cork ministers, both of whom are well versed in the contribution the combined sport horse/thoroughbred sector makes with over 30,000 full-time jobs, worth over €1.7bn to the Irish economy.