Trade Sanctions
Dail Éireann — 2025-02-13
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Paschal Donohoe (FG), Dublin Central

As I said to the Deputy, the analysis with regard to this is under way. Owing to the uncertain environment we are in, it is appropriate that a number of weeks be taken to do this work. That work will be concluded and published in April.
On the imposition of tariffs under the first President Trump Administration, two learnings emerged. First, the EU did respond. The EU has indicated it will respond again in a firm and proportional way. Second, we did see across the period in question that the trading relationship and the flow of goods and services between the US and the EU continued to be strong and, I believe, to benefit both sides of the Atlantic. It remains to be seen whether that is possible in the future.
On the point the Deputy made about our reliance on corporate tax, our reliance is why I have made the case for running budget surpluses and why we have set aside money in our two reserve funds. Maybe the Deputy might clarify her position on running budget surpluses and putting money into these funds. The question of reliance is why measures such as broadening our tax base through the changes we are making in carbon taxation continue to be essential.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-02-13/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:00:55+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-02-13