Coming hours crucial for US-EU trade talks, says Tánaiste
Mr Harris will spend much of the day engaging with officials and the EU Trade Commissioner as a final push is made to find a way forward between the EU and the US.
He will also bring a memo to Cabinet tomorrow setting out the latest trade developments and update ministers on the status of the talks.
Speaking this morning, Mr Harris said: "The EU team has worked tirelessly and intensively to find a way forward with the US and I thank them for their ongoing work.
"A mutually beneficial agreement that works for both sides remains the objective for Ireland and the EU.
"While progress may not be at the stage we would like, at this moment the key priority is that negotiations continue.
"I understand President Trump will meet with his trade advisers today. Even at this late stage, I would urge the US to constructively respond to an EU that wants to find a landing zone to this trade dispute that makes sense for all.
"Tariffs are bad for consumers, jobs, economic growth and investment. As I have been saying for some time, the uncertainty is also bad for economic confidence and Irish businesses seeking clarity on the trading environment in which they operate.
"From day one, we have consistently called for zero-for-zero tariffs in as many areas as possible and I know the EU has advocated this course of action.
"My priority and that of the Government will remain to protect Irish jobs and Irish economic interests and engaging closely with EU colleagues in the hours ahead."
Yesterday, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said the "best case" scenario in the EU-US trade talks is that a political framework can be delivered by tomorrow evening.
The minister said that would then create a pathway for further negotiation.
"Obviously, there are number of areas that the EU are looking for, zero for zero carve outs and favoured nation status," he told RTÉ's The Week In Politics.
"These centre on aviation, life science, semiconductors and spirits.
"But all those areas are under challenge, aviation is getting a lot of traction as far as I understand, with the US administration," he said.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said yesterday that the US is close to reaching agreements on several trade deals ahead of the Wednesday deadline.
Mr Bessent predicted several big announcements in the coming days.
He told CNN's "State of the Union" programme that the Trump administration would also send out letters to 100 smaller countries with whom the US does not have much trade, notifying them that they would face higher tariff rates first set on 2 April and then suspended until 9 July.
Those tariffs will kick in on 1 August if trading partners do not strike deals with the US.
"President Trump's going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that, if you don't move things along, then on August 1, you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level. So I think we're going to see a lot of deals very quickly," Mr Bessent said.
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