Mr. John Hughes:

Deputy McCormack mentioned the tariffs issue. The Tánaiste has announced that the trade forum will have a further meeting next week ahead of the US deadline of 9 July regarding the implementation of the terms. The enterprise development agencies are working closely with their client companies, as is the Department with all the representatives groups, to establish the implications. Many of these concern their supply chains as distinct from those we can all readily identify at the front line. There is a lot of due diligence work ongoing dynamically regarding that, and it is all feeding into the trade forum.

The majority of the IDA Ireland supports are for existing companies in the jurisdiction in respect of third- and fourth-generation research and development and innovation investments, but equally they prioritise training and talent so we have the most skilled workforce. One of Ireland's main attractions is the quality of its workforce, and that continues to be one of the areas IDA Ireland is significantly reinforcing in its strategy and investing in through its grants to retain the existing companies, which may be operating on tight margins. Often, the skill and talent available in a company make the difference in weathering a storm such as that posed by the current geopolitical difficulties.