Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

All of us send our thoughts to the families of the children whose spinal surgery was investigated by HIQA in the report. The Taoiseach has just articulated how appalling the findings are in respect of those children. It is deeply concerning to see them. The chair of the board of CHI has resigned so things are moving very swiftly. I ask for a proper debate on this in the House this week because it is such a serious matter. I express our thoughts with our colleague, Deputy Boyd Barrett, and wish him well in his treatment for cancer over the coming. Richard spoke very movingly and bravely about his diagnosis and treatment.

Already, less than a week after the Rose Garden announcement, we are seeing the potentially catastrophic effect of Trump's tariffs. These so-called reciprocal tariffs, apparently drawn up on the back of a napkin, have already created massive global uncertainty and are putting entire national economies at risk across the world. The full impact will not become clear for some time. At global level, the tit for tat has started with China and the EU will later today announce a response to the 25% steel tariffs. It is welcome to hear that whiskey, wine and dairy products will be left out to protect EU, and indeed our own, alcohol and food exports from further reprisals but the likelihood is that once the EU package is announced, Trump will hit back with more tariffs.

What is becoming clear is that this is not just about tariffs or customs barriers. Trump’s top trade adviser Peter Navarro made clear in the Financial Times yesterday that they are aiming for what they call non-tariff weapons, including EU regulations and taxes like VAT, data localisation rules and what they call "lawfare" that they allege targets US tech companies. Navarro singled out EU rules on hormone-treated meat from the US and genetically modified crops.

Can the Taoiseach offer any assurance to Irish businesses, farmers, workers and consumers in light of this imminent and ongoing threat? We know the Tánaiste will fly today to meet with Trump’s Secretary of Commerce and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is already is in the US. I thank the Taoiseach for offering a briefing with Opposition leaders later this week where I hope we will hear more about the Government's negotiating brief and how to avert the worst impact of the tariffs. There are, however, urgent questions today. Workers are facing the dreaded prospect of job losses. We are hearing already from employers, particularly in medtech and other export sectors, that contracts are being paused or cancelled due to uncertainty and that what employers and workers need is a short-term, State-backed work support scheme. Both the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, and IBEC have called for such a scheme to be put in place. ICTU has also called for sectoral industry task forces to help manage the disruption. We are talking about a targeted programme, not the broad wage subsidy scheme we had during the pandemic but, rather, a more targeted scheme to address the real impact of tariffs potentially in particular sectors. Germany has a gold standard in the Kurzarbeit scheme.

The Labour Party has been calling for such a scheme to be introduced for some time. Is the Taoiseach ruling out such a scheme or will he consider it? What reassurances can he offer those who are facing that dread prospect of potential job losses or layoffs?

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