Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | 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-----

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