Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Bacik for the common-sense suggestion she made regarding a briefing for the Opposition. I apologise but with various international travel and the like over the last while there has been a bit of a lacuna. I suggest that on Monday we have that briefing for Opposition parties either with me or, if my diary does not allow, with senior officials because we need to get that flow of information going. I am very happy to do that and to come into this House to keep it regularly briefed and to put a structure in place to make sure the Deputy has access when doing her job. We are highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence. We have got to control what we can control in terms of what we can do here in Ireland. We have got to work as part of, and as members of, the European Union where, of course, trade policy is at. As the Deputy rightly said, we have to engage with our foreign direct investment, FDI, base that is present in the country.

With regard to the financial analysis or the macroeconomic analysis that is being carried out, my understanding is that it is likely we will see some research published with regard to it this week. What I would say in advance of that is that even in modelling, we are operating with a lot of what they probably call "known unknowns" in terms of not yet having seen the detail. However, sharing the best information available is a sensible thing to do.

I will come back to trade specifically and to tariffs, but on the occupied territories Bill, about which I have spoken to the Taoiseach, he absolutely reiterated the commitment in the programme for Government with regard to legislating in this area. Whatever others wish to say - I do not mean Deputy Bacik - the Government's commitment remains as outlined in the programme for Government in that regard. On the issue of tariffs and trade, the Deputy is right to suggest that this country has a lot of foreign direct investment and with that brings exposure and challenge. That is true. We are also approaching it from a position of relative strength because regardless of politics, there is a reality that many companies are based in this country not for the weather but because it is a good place to do business. It is a good place to access the European market. Many of them have not just years but decades of experience of doing business in Ireland. Regardless of who is in the White House or what policies are pursued, it is a statement of fact that many American multinationals still want to do business in a market with more than 400 million people. I will certainly hear that in my interactions with them on Friday. I will chair the Government's trade forum, which brings together Government Departments, Ministers and relevant State agencies but crucially sectors of the economy and business representative organisations to have that engagement and flow of information the Deputy rightly highlighted.

I hope we can all speak with a team Ireland voice with regard to this. Europe does not want tariffs. I have heard so much misinformation in the last few days on why Europe will not engage. The position of Europe, of which Ireland is proudly a part, is really clear. We want to sit down and reach an agreement. We want to do business with the United States. We want to buy more stuff from the United States. It seems the tactic and approach of the American Administration is to announce a series of measures first and then engage. We believe that is wrong. The engagement should happen now.

See this speech in context