With no local government in Northern Ireland since Stormont collapsed in early 2017, and continued wrangling over marriage equality and the Irish language, it’s hard to be optimistic about the latest round of talks among political parties.

Step forward Dr Denis McMahon, the head man at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). With the main party leaders sitting under his nose at a breakfast event at last week’s Balmoral Show, he praised the latest talks initiative, and called for a round of applause from the agri-food industry leaders present.

Once the eyebrows got lowered, most joined in, but it wasn’t exactly an effervescent response.