‘It’s a huge own goal’: How steel tax could be ‘catastrophic’ for NI firms

The Mid Ulster council area is widely considered the centre of manufacturing in Northern Ireland, with 20% of the country’s manufacturing employment based in the district.

EDGE Innovate, based just outside Dungannon, uses steel to make equipment for the quarrying, mining and recycling industries.

Darragh Cullen, said the government wanted to protect the manufacturing of steel in Britain which was “understandable” – but he said its “methodology” was “highly questionable”.

“The price of steel is now more expensive for us, that will make us less competitive, meaning we’ll export less, we will bring less money into this economy and it is a potential threat to jobs.

“To me it’s unbelievable that the UK government is effectively assisting our international competitors outside the UK who don’t have to pay this tariff, it feels like a huge own goal.”