Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The tariff trauma has begun. Even if our industries, particularly our pharmaceutical and agri-export sectors, can escape the worst of the challenges that arise, there is no doubt that we are in for a sustained period of economic uncertainty that is going to send chills through tens of thousands of households in this State.

However, I want to state clearly that we have, in effect, squandered the last four years in terms of shoring up our own indigenous sectors. The previous Government was worse than any Trump Administration or initiative when it came to burning turf, for example, or the inexcusable delay in making sure we have energy security and independence through LNG. The Green Party Deputy and some Government Members may well stand up here today and condemn President Trump for the harm he may be doing. However, I would remind them that we have been effectively held hostage to a crippling green policy and mandate for the past four years that has levied cost after cost on farmers and will take billions of euro out of our economy in the form of regressive carbon taxes which I have always opposed.

The Government may speak of controlling what we can control in response to the tariff regime but I remind the Government that we have a terrible record of handing control on a wide range of issues to an unaccountable EU bureaucracy that is vehemently hostile to President Trump. As Michael McNamara MEP recently confirmed, the EU has been at war with ordinary workers since before Donald Trump. It cannot now present itself as their champion with any degree of credibility.

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