I very much welcome the question raised on the historical and the cultural aspects. There are also trade aspects and how the State focused on trade with the US over the past 35 or 40 years. The Government now needs to focus on Canada and how it can get Canada to invest more here because of its access to the European market, but likewise so that we can export to Canada. We have already got that link as well with our third level institutions in that quite a number of students from Canada are studying in our third level institutions. We should also use that to strengthen our connections with the Canadian authorities.

Sentiment score: 0.32

96. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to report on his recent meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57158/25]

Sentiment score: 0.01

The Tánaiste recently met with the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, in Washington. He might outline the progress that was made as a result of that meeting.

Sentiment score: 0.21

One of the problems we have with the US is that there is a view out there, especially in America, that it is a one-way street. America thinks that we have all the advantages in the sense that we export quite a large volume of goods, especially in the pharmaceutical area. The point the Tánaiste made that Irish companies have created over 200,000 jobs there indicates that it is very much a two-way process. We need to sell that message a bit more strongly. While we have the EU Presidency, which is not too far away, the point that we can sell is that by having a business in Ireland, you have access to a huge European market. That is extremely important. How are we changing strategy to sell that from an American point of view, to emphasise that it is not just about manufacturing goods to go into America but that there is an opportunity for American companies to be based here in Ireland and to get access to the European market of 460 million people?

Sentiment score: 0.24

How much progress has been made on expanding the list of goods which will be exempt from the 15% tariff? Has progress been made on the cost of visa applications and is there likely to be further progress made over the next two to three months?

Sentiment score: 0.59