A report commissioned by the Department of Finance on the impact of the UK exiting from the EU after a referendum, says Irish trade with Britain could be reduced by 20% or more. However, this week George Osborne, UK chancellor of the exchequer, spoke in Germany to the main business lobby. We say “maybe not” as Germany has a big trade surplus with the UK, and it would be in the interest of all sides to maintain trade. The UK is far more significant than Switzerland or Norway.