Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)

A great deal has happened since 16 June when the Cabinet committee last met. I will come back to the question of tariffs, which I raised with the Taoiseach during Leaders' Questions. The tariff of 30% now threatened by President Trump would, of course, be ruinous, as the Taoiseach rightly said, for EU-US trade. I asked the Taoiseach what the contingency plan is, given that the adjusted deadline is now 1 August. What is the contingency plan? If it appears, coming close to 1 August, that the EU negotiation side has not succeeded in stopping those tariffs coming into effect, will the Dáil be recalled? How will that impact budgetary preparations?

The Taoiseach also mentioned that at the European Council meeting, Ukraine and Gaza were at the top of the agenda. Will he update us? Was any hope or prospect offered of an end to the war in Ukraine? Is there any sign of a change at EU level in respect of the ongoing carnage in Gaza? Are EU leaders moving any closer to any sort of agreed position on stronger sanctions against Israel?

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