SCOTTISH companies are being encouraged to look across the Irish Sea to build commercial links as Brexit looms into view.

The Scottish Government last night confirmed £25,000 of funding for Causeway, an organisation set up in 2016 to promote growth opportunities for firms in Scotland and Ireland and trade relations between the two countries.

While it has largely been firms in the east of Scotland which have responded to its efforts so far, the prospect of trading with Ireland is now coming more into the thoughts of companies in Glasgow and the west. And there are plans for Northern Ireland to be brought into the Causeway fold by the end of the year.

The support for Causeway, which initially formed as the Irish Business Network in Scotland, comes as the UK’s forthcoming exit from the European Union (EU) is leading business leaders in Scotland and Ireland to strengthen their economic and cultural links.

Last night, Glasgow City Chambers hosted the Causeway Business Exchange awards ceremony, which was attended by Scottish Economy Secretary Keith Brown MSP and Joe McHugh TD, Irish Minister of State for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands. Mr Brown said that “Causeway has played an active role in encouraging businesses to explore the opportunities that exist in both our markets and I’m encouraged to see increased focus on engagement in Glasgow.”