Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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798. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to correspondence (details supplied) sent to him by registered post; the steps he is taking to address the matters raised; and if he will engage with the correspondent. [41245/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the correspondence that the Deputy refers to, and I would say firstly that trade policy is a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in the first instance.

Nonetheless, I am aware that the current trade tensions between the US and the European Union are a matter of concern, given the importance of EU-US bilateral trade to the Irish food and drink industry, which came to an overall value of €1.6 billion in 2019.

Ireland has raised its concerns at EU level, including at recent Informal Trade Policy Committee meetings.

I believe, ultimately, that a negotiated settlement is the preferred way to address this current tariff dispute, as a further escalation would not serve the interests of either the EU or USA. I hope that this will be the case, and that we continue to see the benefits of free trade for manufacturers and consumers, both in the USA and in the EU.