The Dealer has heard that Conall Donnelly – the chief of NIMEA, the trade association for northern factories – is moving on after eight years. His opposite number for several years south of the border, Cormac Healy, also moved to pastures new last year.

The Dealer will be keeping an eye out for where Donnelly, who guided the factories through COVID-19 and Brexit, turns up and of course who is chosen to fill his shoes.