Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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55. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement there has been with his Department, other Government Departments, State agencies and industry, including pharma, technology and medtech, regarding changes to US tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50113/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Direct engagement on tariffs, including industry engagement at the international level, are primarily matters for my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. My Department, however, works closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as other relevant Departments such as Agriculture and Food, to ensure Ireland’s interests are represented at EU and international fora. The recent joint Action Plan on Market Diversification is testament to this cross-Government approach.

Within my remit, I am focused on strengthening Ireland’s competitiveness and supporting enterprise resilience. Recent actions include the publication of the Competitiveness and Productivity Action Plan, the forthcoming National Life Sciences Strategy, the recently published national semiconductor strategy, “Silicon Island”, and the development of a new national enterprise policy, “Enterprise 2035”, as committed to in the Programme for Government.

Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland continue to engage with companies from affected sectors and support the development of their operations in Ireland. My Department will continue to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other Departments to influence Europe’s position on tariffs and ensure a coordinated response to international trade developments.

I, along with my Department, continue to participate actively in the Government’s Trade Forum, which brings together key Departments and agencies along with stakeholders to coordinate Ireland’s response to international trade developments, including tariffs. The Forum provides a platform for regular engagement, information sharing, and the development of collective strategies to support Irish businesses and ensure a joined-up approach across Government.