I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 144, 145, 150 and 157 together. I thank Deputy Boland for this question. I reiterate that I deeply regret the US decision to impose tariffs on steel, aluminium and derivative products from the EU and other trade partners, effective from 12 March last. I am also aware of the announcement by the US Administration on 26 March of its plans to introduce tariffs against the auto sector from 2 April. I met my counterpart from Slovakia in recent days, a country with a major car industr…

Deputy Boland is right on both fronts. We are very lucky that Maroš Šefčovič is the Commissioner. He is a very experienced Commissioner who knows this country well through his previous roles during the Brexit time. He is an engaging, consummate individual and he is in fairness already engaging with the US Administration. He was in DC last Monday. He spoke to the commerce secretary and met him just before I did and spoke to him on the telephone as well. The second point the Deputy is really right on is the effects o…

I thank Deputy Aird. He is right, and before I get directly to the trade impact on agriculture and the work of the trade forum, it is why it is so important that we are going to do even more to support Irish agriculture because there is not a more indigenous industry than agriculture, agrifood and our farming sector. That is why will have to work together on a number of the issues the Deputy has been highlighting, whether it is nitrates, the next round of the Common Agricultural Policy or the simplification of all …

I very much agree with Deputy Aird. First, with regard to dairy, that is why, when we were looking at the list of tariffs that may be reactivated by the European Union, specifically in my submission to the European Commission on behalf of the Government I highlighted the dairy concern we had and also the drinks industry concern. On foot of what the Deputy said, I will make sure that in the work programme for the Government trade forum that specific issue around agriculture, agrifood and supply chains is addressed, …

I absolutely will. The principal purpose of the trade forum is to bring representative groups and relevant Ministers, Departments and agencies around the table. I am pleased to say that a full and permanent member of the trade forum is our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon. Also represented on that are his senior officials, the Secretary General of the Department of agriculture and the chief executive of Bord Bia, which obviously has an important relevance to this discussion as well. The …

I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil for the question. My Department publishes advice for outward travel in respect of more than 200 countries and territories. The advice provides an objective assessment of the risks individuals could face if travelling overseas. This is done with a view to trying to help them to make informed decisions for themselves. The advice is based on consultation with our embassies and consulates on the ground, the relevant local authorities in each country and other partners as appropriate. On 24 Marc…

If the Deputy wants to send me on details, I would be happy to use them as examples, albeit anonymised, with which to engage on this matter. As he rightly said, our two countries, Ireland and the United States, have deep and strong bilateral relations built on a rich foundation of ancestral ties. We have economic, diplomatic and political links, including the long-standing US support for peace on our island. Now more than ever, trying to support the continuation of those significant people-to-people links is a prio…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I would like to reflect on it and come back to him with an informed view after I meet with Senator Black and my team in the Department to decide the best way to advance the commitment in the programme for Government. I acknowledge the Deputy's deep interest in this matter. I am deeply concerned by the negative trajectory of the situation on the ground in Palestine, Lebanon, where I was last week, and Israel over recent…

I am happy to take the details of the case Deputy Heneghan mentioned and to engage with him directly on it. I thank Deputy Callaghan for her service in Óglaigh na hÉireann and for her tour of duty. I am glad to have her in my party, on our team and in the Dáil, bringing her experience of having served in Lebanon. Just by visiting, I got an insight that is not even a fraction of what she would have experienced. That insight is very important when we have these discussions. The wish to be informed is why I wanted to …

On my trip to Lebanon, of course I took the opportunity to raise the case of Private Seán Rooney, a stark reminder of the 48 people who have lost their lives serving with Óglaigh na hÉireann on tours of duty in Lebanon. We think of Seán Rooney and his family and we continue in our quest for justice and truth. I raised that with the defence Minister and the foreign Minister. I handed over a letter on behalf of the Government. All the people involved need to be brought to justice. I accept the separation of powers th…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 161 together. I thank Deputy Clendennen for this question, which is timely because now more than ever, at a time when some countries are choosing to look inwards, it is so important that Ireland continues to look outwards and increase our global footprint. Global Ireland 2025 was launched by the Government in 2018 with the aim of doubling Ireland’s footprint and impact by 2025. Under the strategy, Ireland’s diplomatic footprint has expanded significantly. We have gone from 7…

Deputy Clendennen is so right. Not only should we be extraordinarily proud of our diaspora, as we are, but as a country we have done quite a good job of keeping the links and investing. Other countries ask Ireland about our diaspora strategies and how they can learn from and work with us on that. Ours is one of the few countries that has an emigrant support programme, where we provide relatively small sums of money to diaspora programmes abroad. It makes a real impact on them. I am very proud to see that when I go …

Deputy Clendennen is so right. That regional aspect is important to all that we do, making sure that we drive jobs and investment but also cultural and people-to-people links, not just with the big cities but also with the regions of Ireland and counties like Offaly. I would be very happy to work with the Deputy, chambers of commerce, Offaly County Council and others on how we might explore that as well. When I was out in Philadelphia and New York for the St. Patrick's Day period, there was a great sense of pride o…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 151 together. Last month, I had the honour of visiting and representing the Government in the iconic Irish-American cities of Philadelphia and New York. I was delighted to join Mayor Cherelle Parker and the people of Philadelphia to march in their St. Patrick's day parade. I met with a number of community groups and laid a wreath at the Philadelphia Irish Famine memorial. I had high-level discussions with members of Congress from Pennsylvania, including Congressman Brendan B…

I thank Deputies Boland and Ó Murchú. Their questions overlap. With regard to what we heard from the business community and what we can do, there are a couple of things. I was struck by the great sense of uncertainty, even from very senior business leaders in the United States who are, no more than the rest of us, waiting to see the level of detail. It was good to get an insight from them in terms of the economic environment in the United States. There is certainly some downward pressure on the US economy. There is…

While engaging and negotiating as part of the European Union, we need to continue to engage with the US Administration and to take every opportunity to share information. I genuinely believe - and I say this respectfully - the relationship is much more complex and interdependent than is sometimes articulated by the US Administration. It is much more interdependent, two-way and bilateral. We will continue to proactively engage with the US Administration, which is why I spoke to Secretary Rubio and Secretary Lutnick,…

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for the question. I hope we can share the same view on this across this House. The programme of passport service reform has been very impressive. I was in Balbriggan with Deputy Boland recently. I am very proud of the work being done in the passport office there and in other passport offices. The Passport Office has come through the Covid pandemic and managed to reform the service. I meet a lot of people who are extraordinarily impressed by the speed at which they now get their passport, so …

I would like to see progress on the issue of reminders. I am sure the gardaí would like to see that too, to make the process as efficient as possible for everybody. I will follow up on that directly. I echo the Deputy's request that everybody check their passport. We do our very best at times when people need to travel at short notice. It can happen to anybody for reasons of bereavement or other things. Our systems are quite good at trying to respond in a compassionate way. We continue to strive to do as best we ca…

So please check your passport. Maybe in that moment of harmony, we can conclude.

I have respect to the sensitivity of the issue. The issue relates to my other Department, the Department of Defence. I am aware that the Department is in direct contact with the Rooney family. We will continue to do that. I made it clear to the Lebanese authorities that the family intends to travel for the trial and it is important that there is real progress. We will keep in touch about the matter.