Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

At a time of crisis, this national parliament has a duty to show leadership to the country. I recall the unity we have found in this House in moments of crisis and economic challenge. We came together and pulled together during Covid-19 and the Brexit times. The context we now face is a potential global trade war, which will not be without consequence for Ireland. I have every confidence that this country will work its way through it, but it will require a co-ordinated and sustained effort in the vein of our response to Brexit. That is why this morning I updated Cabinet on the potential economic impact for our country ahead of the expected decision of President Trump to announce and introduce tariffs on EU counties, including Ireland, from as early as tomorrow. In advance of even seeing the detail, it is regrettable, because it seeks to fundamentally alter the trade relationship between the EU and the United States. It is regrettable because we know tariffs are bad for consumers. They push up the cost of doing business and the cost of goods, and we have built successful economies on both sides of this Atlantic Ocean on the basis of trading goods with each other.

Ireland will need to take a calm, measured and strategic approach. We will need to work in solidarity and unity with our European colleagues. We cannot control what President Trump does, but we can control what we control. We can use our influence to put forward Ireland's interests along with other member states. That is the work we need to do together.

Every single one of us, all 174 of us, were elected by the people to do a job and it is high time we got on with that job. We need to get the Oireachtas committees up and running so that the elected Members of this House can scrutinise legislation that may well be required, and, most importantly, can make recommendations on how to improve that legislation so we can have the best possible outcome.

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle will know this from his time as a Chair, in my experience, Oireachtas committees have always shown the best side of politics, where people do somewhat set aside their partisan differences and try to work together and tease through the issues. From my part, the part of my party and this Government, we want to work constructively with Deputies on all sides of the House. The Opposition knows that, because as recently as last week, while the shouting and roaring was going on this House, I invited leaders of the Opposition to come to a briefing with my Department officials specifically on the issue of trade and tariffs, suggested by Deputy Bacik. We will be providing further updates on a regular basis as we need to pull together. This is a moment. The hard reality is dawning. The time for shouting, whooping and hollering is over. We need to put our shoulder to the wheel-----

See this speech in context