The manager of the Tyrone senior footballers is the Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer at the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
In this role he has been instrumental in helping retailers get their red tape in order for the import and export of products of animal origin, Mr. Connolly told the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster this morning.
He said: "I have to pay tribute at this point to the DAERA staff, particularly the Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher, for the sterling work he has done being on call at all hours and really making sure that not only were things moving but that we as retailers and our colleagues in logistics were aware of our responsibilities and how to live up to those very easily."