Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Boland and Ó Murchú. Their questions overlap. With regard to what we heard from the business community and what we can do, there are a couple of things. I was struck by the great sense of uncertainty, even from very senior business leaders in the United States who are, no more than the rest of us, waiting to see the level of detail. It was good to get an insight from them in terms of the economic environment in the United States. There is certainly some downward pressure on the US economy. There is a working assumption that we are about to enter a very turbulent period in terms of tariffs. The President is very determined on that agenda. There was not a huge amount of certainty at that stage as to the precision or level of detail that one hopes and expects to at least see in the coming days in order that we can work out how to best respond.

There was a sense of controlling what we can control. Deputies Ó Murchú and Boland made the point regarding what we can do in terms of our economy, our competitiveness and listening to the companies that have decided to base themselves. They have done so for a good reason but what do they now need in future in terms of their investment strategies? We need to keep engaging. I want to be very clear on this so that we are not misrepresented. We are proud members of the European Union. We will put on not just the green jersey but also the blue jersey of Europe - not the blue shirt now but the blue jersey. The Deputy should not be getting too worried. That was an attempt at a joke at this late hour of the night.

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