As the incoming government prepares for “very serious impacts,” Tánaiste and Trade Minister Simon Harris stated yesterday that Ireland can do business with Donald Trump, reports Independent.
During Mr. Trump’s second term in the White House, Mr. Harris will establish a trade consultative council that will convene once a month and concentrate on advancing Irish trade.
This comes as Pascal Lamy, the former chairman of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), encouraged Ireland to approach Trump with “a gun in his pocket” in negotiations, much like he does with other people, reports Independent.
Although government officials acknowledged that they are concerned about what Mr. Trump’s second term may bring in the form of tariffs and a loss of company taxes, they stated that Ireland and the US benefit from a positive relationship.
“I think we can do business with President Trump and ensure that our long economic, political, diplomatic and cultural relationship with the United States continues,” Mr Harris said, reports Independent.
Important participants at the trade forum will include representatives from the Irish embassy, Ibec, the American Chamber of Commerce, Isme, IDA Ireland, and Enterprise Ireland.
Under the leadership of an assistant secretary, the Department of Enterprise’s trade section will relocate to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Harris will be in charge of guiding Irish trade policy and negotiating with the WTO, reports Independent.
Along with the Irish ambassador to the US and other senior consular officials, he has assigned the Irish ambassadors in EU nations the responsibility of integrating trade policy into their work.
“I am very confident following engagement with our diplomats in Washington and all across the United States that we will be able to chart a way forward,” he said, reports Independent.
“Our focus will be on targeting the thousands of decision-makers in the Trump administration and ensuring they know the two-way relationship and strength of Irish investment in the United States,” reports Independent.
“Domestically, our infrastructure needs a massive ramp up,” Mr. Richmond remarked, adding that Ireland must become more competitive, reports Independent.
Since the presidential election in November of last year, according to Enterprise Minister Peter Burke, his personnel have travelled to the United States.
“It’s a two-way street, with both countries benefiting, and it’s in both governments’ interests to make this relationship work,” he added, reports Independent.
“While multinationals provide over 210,000 jobs here directly, it’s also important to note that Ireland is the seventh-largest investor into the US. There is an Irish business presence in every US state, with Irish companies providing over 100,000 jobs to the US economy,” reports Independent.
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