Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

126. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline his current priorities in terms of Irish-US relations, with particular regard to Irish-US economic interests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15543/25]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle. I appreciate that. I was listening to the debate on a similar matter between the Tánaiste and Deputy Smith. I do not think there is any desire for histrionics or panic anywhere in the Chamber, but we could be facing a sobering situation tomorrow, and it is no exaggeration to say that there are workers who have been listening to the media over the last few days in multinational companies, particularly American companies, right across Ireland who are very concerned. It is vitally important we have a very carefully and comprehensively thought through response.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I agree fully with Deputy Ó Laoghaire. We had engagement with his party last Tuesday, I think, specifically with Deputy Doherty, on this, and those lines of communication must and will remain open. It is important that every Member of this House, every political party, whether Government or Opposition, and every stakeholder is kept informed on the facts. Then it is for all of us to make informed contributions as to what we believe is in the best interests of our country and the European Union, which we are a part of. I reiterate that genuine clear intent to work together, as we have on other big challenges our country has faced.

To speak directly to the question, our relationship with the United States is based on rich connections - political, cultural, people-to-people and economic. The economic relationship has developed and evolved over many years. There are now more than 200,000 people in the United States, many of whom probably voted for President Trump, employed in Irish-owned companies in every single state. I was in New York, where 15,000 people are employed in Irish-owned companies. I was in Pennsylvania. Some 12,500 people are employed in Irish-owned companies in that state. Ireland is now the sixth largest foreign direct investor into the United States of America, and our companies there invested around $351 million last year in the US economy. It is a much more two-way relationship than perhaps it is sometimes portrayed by others, and all of us have a duty to amplify that message in the days ahead.

The Deputy is right that we should not catastrophise this - and he is not doing so. We are entering a moment of significant turbulence, significant challenge, in Ireland, in Europe and globally. Trade matters. If you start putting up barriers and protectionism and damaging free trade, that will have a real economic consequence. We published the ESRI report last week to try to provide the best modelling and scenarios that are available in what is a very volatile situation. We now need to allow President Trump to do as he wishes to do. We cannot control what he does. Let him make his announcement tomorrow. Then in a calm, strategic, measured way, working with European partners, let us find a way forward. I hope the Luxembourg trade ministers' meeting next week will be an important opportunity for Ireland to contribute-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Thank you, Tánaiste.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Obviously, a significant part of this, and something that could, depending on the sector that people are in, have as much an impact on Irish workers and Irish jobs as the American tariffs, will be the potential for retaliatory action by the European Union. I understand that the process led by the Commission invited member states to submit their observations and lists, for want of a better word, in terms of the key industries and sectors that they would be concerned about and outlining their view of how best to proceed with retaliatory tariffs. I expect that the Minister has submitted that. Will that be published as regards outlining what precisely the ask of the Irish Government of the European Commission was in terms of what sectors we are focused on? I ask the Minister to respond on that at this point.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that we have made a submission on the original list, if you like, that is, the tariffs that would be due to be reactivated. That is what submissions were invited on. I am not sure whether the letter is published. I am happy to share it with the Deputy. In that we highlighted our particular concerns about dairy and the drinks industry. I think they were the two particular areas of concern. More broadly, though, and as time has moved on, the biggest immediate concern now is obviously the pharma sector. We have been trying to work with industry here but also with European countries that also have a big pharma presence. I mentioned earlier in the House my conversations and engagements with counterparts in Denmark and the Netherlands. Those are two examples. Sweden tomorrow is a third example. Quite a number of countries in the European Union have a large pharma presence and pharma industry. The Deputy is right that retaliatory tariffs of course will have an impact too, and that is why they have to be strategic. They have to be co-ordinated and they should be put in place only with a view to trying to get people around a table to find a resolution to this.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We are obviously not in a position to control precisely what Donald Trump will do, but there are things, coming off the back of this, that we can do on a simple, practical level. It is known to us which companies are exporting to the United States. That is information we have. It seems to me that it is possible that the State contacts all those companies off the back of this and identifies from discussions with them precisely what is needed in terms of supports. It seems obvious that there will be a need for mitigation measures and supports of the kind that were seen during Brexit for businesses. Obviously, that will have to be tailored off the back of whatever announcements are made, but what is the level of preparations that have been made? It remains the case that Irish exports are very concentrated in the English-speaking world. Some progress has been made in some markets, but the truth is that there are many markets we could be exporting a great deal more to that we are not, and we need to hear an outline of the strategy as to how that will be attacked.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I think that is right. I assure the Deputy that the Government at a whole variety of levels, including at political levels - the Taoiseach, myself, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, others as well, I am sure - and at agency level like the IDA, together with our embassy network, is in ongoing contact with all the major companies. They are also represented through their representative bodies on the Government trade forum, which I chair and which will meet again on Friday in the aftermath of the announcement that President Trump is expected to make. Of course we keep an open mind on any supports that may be required for the Irish economy and at a European level, but, as the Deputy can imagine, the priority right now is on making sure that Ireland uses its voice in the European Union. I keep hearing in the media that trade is a matter for the EU. We are in the EU. We are around the table. We will have the Presidency of the EU in the second half of next year. We have to continue to work with the Commission. I was in touch with Maroš Šefčovič, the EU trade commissioner, tonight. I am in nearly daily contact with him now, certainly several times a week, as are my officials with his officials. We need to keep that going.