David W Higgins: How the Occupied Territories Bill could risk triggering Ireland's own damaging trade war
David W Higgins: How the Occupied Territories Bill could risk triggering Ireland's own damaging trade war
If Ireland can remove all involvement with Israel, why wouldn't it do the same to us?
People protesting outside Leinster House in Dublin, calling on the Government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill. Photo: Sam Boal /Collins
David W Higgins Today at 03:30
The Trump trade war continues. The EU has joined China with a 90-day reprieve. A burst of dealmaking is unfolding behind the scenes. Exporters are continuing to count the fallout. Everyone has more questions than answers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Post
2 hours ago
- Business Post
Conor O'Donovan: New EU startup plan will help Irish firms be more competitive on global stage
Business Post subscribers can read: • What the new EU plan contains • How it'll help Irish companies on the global stage • The five key actions to come out of the plan
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
US trade talks on track but metals tariffs unhelpful
Trade talks between the European Union and the United States are moving in the right direction, the two sides' main negotiators have said. However, the EU said the doubling of US tariffs on metals did not help with the negotiations. The increase on steel and aluminium imports - from 25% to 50% - took effect on the same day that President Donald Trump's administration wants trading partners to make "best offers" to avoid other punishing levies from early July. Meanwhile, in another sign of disruption to global trade, concerns about the damage from China's restrictions on critical mineral exports deepened, with some European auto parts plants suspending output and German carmaker BMW warning that its supplier network was affected by shortages. In terms of tariff talks, EU negotiator Maroš Šefčovič said that a meeting with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris was constructive. "We both concluded that we are advancing in the right direction, at pace," Mr Šefčovič told reporters. Technical talks are ongoing in Washington, he added, and high-level contacts will follow. "What makes me optimistic is I see the progress ... the discussions are now very concrete," Mr Šefčovič said. He stressed that he and Mr Greer had agreed to restructure the focus of their talks after having been "approaching it from different angles". Mr Greer said the talks had been constructive, adding in a statement from his office that they demonstrated "a willingness by the EU to work with us to find a concrete way forward to achieve reciprocal trade". Mr Šefčovič said that he deeply regretted the doubling of tariffs, stressing that the EU has the same challenge - overcapacity - as the US on steel, and they should work together on that. Separately, President Trump described his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with". "I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH," the US leader posted on Truth Social. The comments come days after President Trump accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions and after the White House raised expectations for a long-awaited phone call between the two leaders this week. A US trade court ruled last week that Mr Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing the bulk of his tariffs on imports from China and other countries under an emergency powers act. Less than 24 hours later, an appeals court reinstated the levies while it considers a government's appeal. US officials have been in talks with several countries since President Trump announced a pause on tariff hikes in April. However, only one - with the UK - has materialised and even that pact is essentially a preliminary framework for more talks. But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was confident that US tariffs on UK steel would be reduced to zero within a "couple of weeks". Pressure is mounting as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a 38-nation grouping of mostly developed countries, cut its global growth forecast on the back of the levies. Trade, consumption and investment have been affected by the tariffs, its Chief Economist Alvaro Pereira said, warning that the US economy will see the biggest repercussions. Mexico will request an exemption from the higher levies, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said, arguing that it is unfair because the US exports more steel to his country than it imports. "It makes no sense to put a tariff on a product in which you have a surplus," Mr Ebrard said. Elsewhere, uncertainty around US trade policy is creating havoc for businesses around the world. French spirits group Remy Cointreau abandoned its 2030 sales growth ambitions, saying tariffs, slow US sales and high uncertainty could derail its plans for this financial year and beyond. Austrian speciality steelmaker Voestalpine also warned that levies were likely to dent its earnings. "US producers will try to find suppliers that are not affected by the tariffs. If they find one, the German supplier is probably out," said German steel and metal processing association WSM, which represents around 5,000 companies. "Nobody has the margins to absorb these bottomless tariffs," according to WSM Managing Director Christian Vietmeyer.
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Trinity College Dublin cuts ties with Israeli organisations
The governing body of Trinity College Dublin has voted to cease links with Israeli organisations with immediate effect. It means that TCD will not sign up to future exchange or research agreements with Israeli institutions, no longer use Israeli suppliers and divest from Israeli companies. Current research partnerships and contracts will be honoured but not renewed. The move follows recommendations from a taskforce which was established as part of an agreement to end the student Gaza solidarity encampment on the university campus in May 2024. It called for TCD to divest fully from all Israeli companies, no longer use Israeli suppliers and refuse to enter any new education of research collaborations with Israeli organisations. It also recommended that TCD join with other universities to push for an end to EU research collaboration with Israel. The taskforce was made up of 26 members including students, staff unions and senior leadership, and was chaired by former High Court president Mary Irvine. It met 14 times this year. The governing body voted to accept all of the group's recommendations after receiving its report. Academia for Palestine TCD welcomed the "historic decision" and described it "as an important step towards rejecting the normalisation of Israel's decades-long occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide against the people of Palestine". TCD is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners. The taskforce recommended that the university should not submit for approval or agree to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving Israel. It also called on TCD not to enter into any further mobility agreements with Israeli universities or new commercial relationships with Israeli entities. The university has two Erasmus+ exchange agreements with Israeli universities – one which will end this year, the other next year. Participation in these programmes has been on an inbound basis since September 2023. TCD has no current supply contracts with Israeli companies and will not enter into future supply deals with Israeli firms. The university has also already divested from Israeli companies on the UN blacklist but will fully divest from all companies headquartered in Israel. In a note to staff, Chairperson of the Board Paul Farrell said that "based on the strength of the evidence shared, and in line with the principles and procedures developed by the taskforce, the Board has accepted the recommendations set out in the report regarding institutional links with the State of Israel, Israeli universities and companies headquartered in Israel". These will be enacted for the duration of the ongoing violations of international and humanitarian law" and "will be kept under review by the Board," he said.
