Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very clear that there will be many moments - I think the Deputy is right about that – and there will be sector-specific moments to come. The point I was making was that in my engagement with the US Commerce Secretary and others it was very clear that the US was not mandated to engage or negotiate until after this liberation day as they bizarrely described it. That has happened and now we need to get on with the engagement and negotiation. The European Commission and the European Union needs to make judgment calls as to what is required to get into that meaningful process of engagement.

On looking at sectors and impacts, that work is already under way. On the impact on jobs, we have done some modelling. The ESRI has done some modelling, which has been produced. The main impact from a sustained period of tariffs in the first instance seems to be a slowdown in new job growth and employment growth. That is not good either, of course, but working to retain the jobs we have will be the absolute priority. I do not want to give a knee-jerk response to any specific scheme. We have a meeting of the labour-employer economic forum, LEEF, tomorrow. We will have a meeting of the Government trade forum. We are happy to engage and share insights and work with the Deputy on supports that may be required for the time ahead. The priority today and for the coming days is to mitigate the impact of the tariffs and get it to a better place.

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