Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his Department and other Departments engagement with the EU and US as regards the possibility of tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43454/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Following negotiations in Scotland on 27 July, the EU and US reached a deal on reciprocal trade. This deal means that the higher tariffs that had been threatened will not now take effect and that the EU will not impose its own countermeasures. This deal provides much needed certainty for Irish, European and American businesses who together represent the most integrated trading relationship in the world.

Throughout, the negotiations the Government advocated for a calm measured approach with a focus on dialogue and negotiation. In this regard we had extensive engagement with both the EU and US in recent months.

I remain in close contact with Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, having held several calls with him in recent months where we have discussed US tariffs and the EU’s response. The Taoiseach also had several calls with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Both the Taoiseach and I have been in contact with Commissioner Šefčovič and President von der Leyen during the final days of this negotiation and both were keenly aware of Irish concerns, given the closely integrated nature of the Irish and US economies.

Furthermore, in recent months in addition to my attendance at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council on Trade where I discussed EU-US trade with the Commissioner and other Trade Ministers, I have also engaged bilaterally with several of my counterparts from other Member States, most recently the Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

The Government has also engaged with the US on the issue. In April I met with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington where I outlined to him the mutually beneficial two-way relationship between Ireland and the US and how tariffs threaten this. In June I spoke with United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer where I also reiterated the Irish position on tariffs. I recently met to discuss the matter with US Ambassador to Ireland Edward S. Walsh and the Taoiseach also met with him this week.

In the coming period we will continue our engagement at both political and official levels with the EU and US as we both work toward a mutually beneficial trading relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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115. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his Department and other Departments engagement with industry and employees in relation to the possibility of tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43455/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The global economic environment is changing. National and supranational policies on international trade are increasingly being shaped by protectionism and national security and geo-strategic concerns, including in some of Ireland’s largest trade partners.

To effectively navigate this more challenging international trading environment, the Government is committed to having the correct domestic structures in place to facilitate dialogue with the key affected stakeholders.

To this end, I established the new Government Trade Forum in February to facilitate direct engagement with key stakeholders and decision-makers on the latest and emerging trade and investment developments. Membership of the Forum includes Ministers and senior officials from economic facing Government departments, senior business, industry and sectoral representatives, including from relevant business representative groups, trade union and other representative groups, and senior leadership from Ireland’s trade promotion agencies.

I have chaired six meetings of the Government Trade Forum, the latest on the 2nd July. The Forum meetings have considered recent trading developments. There has also been consideration of key sectors of the Irish economy, including pharmaceuticals, med-tech, aviation and semi-conductors, where the Forum has heard directly from business leaders.

This approach will continue into the autumn. The Forum recently agreed a new Work Plan, developed in consultation with the members, which envisages a consistent focus on key sectors and industries, an enhanced focus on key markets aligned with the work of our local and regional market teams, and consideration of thematic areas where they intersect with trade.

In addition to the engagement with the Forum, I have engaged extensively with businesses and representative organisations since becoming Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade earlier this year. This engagement is valuable and will continue and intensify as we navigate this new trading environment.