Fine Gael members object to Mairead McGuinness's ‘coronation' while Micheál Martin is urged to enter Áras race for Fianna Fáil
Today at 00:30
Fine Gael members are fuming over the lack of a contest to pick their presidential candidate as former EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness is to get the party nod uncontested.
It comes as Taoiseach Micheál Martin has now been urged by a former Fianna Fáil TD to run for the Áras and hand over the party leadership to somebody else.
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RTÉ News
36 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Next fortnight crucial for Ireland amid US tariff threats
There's no doubt US President Donald Trump's threat of 30% tariffs is a significant blow to both the European Union and Ireland. Earlier this week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin expressed hopes that Brussels and Washington could agree a framework deal which would pause any escalation in trade tensions. But Mr Trump's letter to the EU, dated last Friday, suggests a positive short-term arrangement is less likely. The next two weeks will be crucial for Ireland and the EU. In the immediate term nothing changes - tariffs of 10% are still being imposed by the US on EU goods. The exceptions remain the pharmaceutical and computer chip manufacturing sectors, both enormously important to the Irish economy. Mr Trump's announcement now raises the damaging prospect of 30% tariffs being imposed if a deal is not reached by 1 August. His intervention to make the threat in the middle of EU-US negotiations has sent shockwaves through European capitals. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned of "proportionate countermeasures" if the US hikes its tariffs on imports from the EU. There is no guarantee Mr Trump will follow through on his ultimatum on 1 August - the deadline has already been shifted from 9 July. Nor is there any certainty the rate will be 30%. Previously, he has suggested tariffs of 20% and 50% on EU goods. The EU's position is to remain calm and continue negotiations - while turning up the rhetoric on the likelihood of reciprocal countermeasures. But for Irish exporters, the lack of certainty is now even more pronounced. Businesses don't know when to expect increased tariffs or what the rate might be. This unpredictability undermines the business rationale for making further investments - and further investments equal jobs. In parallel with the threat of 30% tariffs, the US is investigating trading arrangements for the pharmaceutical and computer chip manufacturing sectors. Nobody can presume their escape from tariffs to date will remain the position in future. Tomorrow morning, stock markets and bond markets will reopen - their response to Mr Trump's burst of letter-writing will be crucial. In April, when the markets took fright at the US president's tough talk on tariffs, leading to a jump in the US cost of borrowing, he quickly backed down. Now, however, the political and financial environments may have shifted. His success in having his tax cuts bill approved by Congress may have emboldened him to return to tariff threats on various countries, including EU member states.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Minister hopeful Trump's new tariff threat will not start trade war as EU delays retaliation
On Saturday, Mr Trump shared statements on his Truth Social platform outlining 30pc tariffs on imports to the US from the EU and Mexico from August 1, separate to sector-specific tariffs, despite months of intensive talks. However, the EU has pushed back its deadline for planned retaliation measures. Mr O'Brien said negotiations between the EU and the US have been positive so far. A trade deal is yet to be reached, and the EU had hoped to negotiate a deal including zero-for-zero tariffs on industrial goods. Asked on RTÉ's This Week if Mr Trump's announcement would spark a trade war, Mr O'Brien said: 'We sincerely hope not. 'I think the Taoiseach has been very clear as well in really setting out that we want respectful dialogue to continue. 'There is still time in this space. The EU and the US enjoy the biggest economic relationship. It's good for both blocs. It's good for the EU, it's good for the US.' Mr O'Brien said tariffs are 'good for no one', and the EU will now be focused on pressing ahead with negotiations with a view to wrapping up a deal ahead of the 30pc tariff coming into effect on August 1. 'Obviously the statement issued by the US administration and President Trump in particular, is one that leads us to be greatly concerned, no question,' he said. 'But I think my understanding, as the Taoiseach has outlined, is the negotiations heretofore have been carried out in a very respectful way, in a business-like way, and I still believe we need to use the time between now and the first of August to conclude a deal that is good for both the European Union and the United States.' Uncertainty brought by the threat of US tariffs has not been good for the economy, Mr O'Brien said, particularly relating to new investment in the private sector. ADVERTISEMENT 'We don't want to catastrophise the situation either, and this may be a negotiation… We've outlined from the very start, actually during the general election campaign, my party leader and the Taoiseach was very clear to say that obviously any budgets we bring forward are fully mindful of the economic situation at the time,' he said. 'But really our focus as a government, between the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and all of my colleagues, is working with our European Union partners to conclude an arrangement that can allow us to continue to trade. 'Look, tariffs are good for no one, and obviously the trading situation that we have right now, prior to the new administration has been advantageous for both. 'It allows US companies access to their biggest market in the European Union, FDI from the United States is very important for us.' Mr O'Brien added that the Irish people and economy 'were very resilient post-Brexit' despite concerns over the impact of the UK leaving the EU at the time. 'There were many concerns, and rightly outlined at the time, about the impact that would have on businesses, and we managed our way through it, and working together I believe we will manage our way through this also,' he said. On Sunday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU will will extend its suspension of countermeasures to US tariffs until early August as it aims for a negotiated solution on trade with the United States. Announcing the extension of the halt on retaliatory measures which was due to expire on Monday, Ms von der Leyen said the bloc would "continue to prepare further countermeasures so we are fully prepared". A first package of countermeasures to US tariffs on steel and aluminium that would hit €21 billion in US goods was suspended in April for 90 days to allow time for negotiations. A second package has been in the works since May and would target €72 billion of US goods, but these measures have not yet been made public and the final list requires approval by member states. Ms von der Leyen added that use of the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument was not yet on the table. "The [anti-coercion] instrument is created for extraordinary situations, we are not there yet," she said. The instrument allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on EU members to change their policies.
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Minister Darragh O'Brien hopeful Trump's 30pc tariff will not start trade war
On Saturday, Mr Trump shared statements on his Truth Social platform outlining 30pc tariffs on imports to the US from the EU and Mexico. Mr O'Brien said negotiations between the EU and the US have been positive so far. A trade deal is yet to be reached, and the EU had hoped to negotiate a deal including zero-for-zero tariffs on industrial goods. Asked on RTÉ's This Week if Mr Trump's announcement would spark a trade war, Mr O'Brien said: 'We sincerely hope not. 'I think the Taoiseach has been very clear as well in really setting out that we want respectful dialogue to continue. 'There is still time in this space. The EU and the US enjoy the biggest economic relationship. It's good for both blocs. It's good for the EU, it's good for the US.' Mr O'Brien said tariffs are 'good for no one', and the EU will now be focused on pressing ahead with negotiations with a view to wrapping up a deal ahead of the 30pc tariff coming into effect on August 1. 'Obviously the statement issued by the US administration and President Trump in particular, is one that leads us to be greatly concerned, no question,' he said. 'But I think my understanding, as the Taoiseach has outlined, is the negotiations heretofore have been carried out in a very respectful way, in a business-like way, and I still believe we need to use the time between now and the first of August to conclude a deal that is good for both the European Union and the United States.' Uncertainty brought by the threat of US tariffs has not been good for the economy, Mr O'Brien said, particularly relating to new investment in the private sector. 'We don't want to catastrophise the situation either, and this may be a negotiation… We've outlined from the very start, actually during the general election campaign, my party leader and the Taoiseach was very clear to say that obviously any budgets we bring forward are fully mindful of the economic situation at the time,' he said. ADVERTISEMENT 'But really our focus as a government, between the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and all of my colleagues, is working with our European Union partners to conclude an arrangement that can allow us to continue to trade. 'Look, tariffs are good for no one, and obviously the trading situation that we have right now, prior to the new administration has been advantageous for both. 'It allows US companies access to their biggest market in the European Union, FDI from the United States is very important for us.' Mr O'Brien added that the Irish people and economy 'were very resilient post-Brexit' despite concerns over the impact of the UK leaving the EU at the time. 'There were many concerns, and rightly outlined at the time, about the impact that would have on businesses, and we managed our way through it, and working together I believe we will manage our way through this also,' he said.
