Newry Chamber President, Edwina Flynn and CEO, Michael Savage travelled to Westminster on Wednesday 21st May 2025 to attend the Trade NI Transforming Northern Ireland’s Economy Conference.
The conference hosts, Trade NI is an alliance of Retail NI, Manufacturing NI and Hospitality Ulster and the event provided Newry Chamber with an opportunity to lobby the UK Government and the First and deputy First Ministers on the economic opportunities and challenges facing the Greater Newry Area.
The conference was sponsored by Claire Hanna MP, Cathal Mallaghan MP and Gavin Robinson MP as well as leading legal firm, DWF represented by Managing Partner, Julie Galbraith, whom all spoke at the event.
Also in attendance and speaking at the event were First Minister, Michelle O’Neill MLA, deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly MLA, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds and NI Secretary of State, Hilary Benn MP.
Edwina Flynn, President of Newry Chamber said:
“It was very important for Newry Chamber to be represented at this event which presented us with an opportunity to promote the Greater Newry Area and network with key stakeholders, policymakers and Government Ministers in the NI Executive and UK Government.”
“We spoke directly to the First and deputy First Ministers about the opportunities and challenges we face in Newry City and how we are seeking a hand up not a hand out from Government to help us achieve our economic goals and we have also lobbied officials within the UK Government to help us maximise our potential as a region.”
Michael Savage, CEO of Newry Chamber added:
“The theme of the Conference focused on the huge economic potential Northern Ireland has due to its unique position flowing from the Windsor Framework relating to Dual Market Access and the event provided the Chamber with an opportunity to promote Newry’s key strategic location as the Gateway Region to both the UK and EU Markets.”
“We have invited the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds MP to Newry to come and visit the fantastic companies we have in this region and see the huge potential our city and region’s location on the border has to be an economic powerhouse directly benefiting from and exploiting the unique economic opportunities which are a direct consequence of the agreements reached between the UK Government and the European Union.”
“Newry Chamber will engage further with the valuable contacts made at the conference to ensure that we fulfill Greater Newry’s huge economic potential with the support of Governments in Belfast, London and Dublin.”