One of Ireland’s best-known businessmen has said a hard border after Brexit would severely undermine the “excellent social and commercial relations that have been so carefully constructed” in recent years.

Rescue crews in the US navigated debris-strewn streets to reach people still stuck in some of the thousands of homes flooded by Hurricane Ike, while authorities in the fourth-largest US city, imposed a curfew and warned residents that it would be weeks before Houston is fully back up and running.

Seabrook Research, the Cork manufacturing software consultancy company, celebrated its 15 years in business with the opening of a new technology centre.

Seabrook Research managing director Seán O’Sullivan, left, receiving the QAD Distributor of the Year Award from QAD Inc chief executive Karl Lopker and QAD Europe managing director Kevin Tingney.