Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Smith and his party for the constructive suggestion on engagement across parties in this House. Let me assure him at the outset regarding what is likely to be a very turbulent time. While there is no doubt that there will be moments of agreement, disagreement, suggestions and whatever else, we should continue to have a good flow of information across the Oireachtas. I certainly commit, on behalf of my Department and the Government, to doing just that.

We all regret in this House the US decision last month to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium. More concerning, however, is the almost guaranteed prospect of a much broader series of actions by the United States and Trump Administration tomorrow. Of course, I am aware of suggestions by the US President of potential tariffs on pharmaceutical products. Ireland exports a large volume of medical and pharmaceutical products to the United States. However, we do so as part of highly integrated global supply chains. Inputs produced in Ireland are integral to the supply chains of American manufacturers.

This is being lost. The simplification involved in saying one would like US companies in Ireland to be in the US misses the point that so much of what is produced by US companies here is exported to the EU market and, therefore, the companies need an EU base. So much of what is produced here goes back to the US, including to US factories, where jobs are created and further tax is paid. We are working extremely hard to ensure Ireland does not find itself isolated on this issue, that it works at European level and that it makes the point that many countries in Europe have a significant pharmaceutical industry, as is now clear in the EU. I was talking to my Danish and Italian counterparts and will be talking to my Swedish counterpart tomorrow. I have also been speaking to my Dutch counterpart. Many countries in the EU have an interest in pharma. I have also been keeping in very regular contact with the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič. I was in touch with him as recently as tonight. I also had a conversation with the US Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, last week and hope to meet him in person in the time ahead.

See this speech in context