Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 2 Apr
US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump announced he is signing an order imposing “reciprocal” – or retaliatory – tariffs on countries worldwide.
“I will sign a historic Executive Order instituting reciprocal tariffs on countries throughout the world,” said Trump from the Rose Garden of the White House.
“Reciprocal, that means: they do it to us, and we do it to them.
“This is one of the most important days, in my opinion, in American history.”
When totting up the tariffs, Trump’s administration has added in “currency manipulation and trade barriers” to the metric.
In the Executive Order outlining the tariffs, it was stated that non-tariff barriers includes VAT.
Tariffs function as a tax on imported goods. They are levied against the importer and charged as a percentage of the worth of the goods.
The idea behind imposing a tariff is to encourage companies within a country to source their materials domestically rather than from abroad.
However, most economists agree that the tariffs being announced tonight are more likely to push up inflation and hamper economic growth.
Trump is hoping his suite of tariffs will encourage the US’s domestic industry. He announced baseline tariffs of 10%, although many countries – including the EU as a bloc – will face stiffer rates.
The tariffs Trump announced today are targeting countries that he sees as having the worst trade balances with the US.
He called them “reciprocal” tariffs to suggest that they’re a means to “match” the cost of the US doing business with those countries.
He dubbed the targets of these tariffs the ‘Dirty 15′ – a list of 14 countries plus the entire EU.
A tariff already affecting EU countries is a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium that came into effect on 12 March.
A 25% tariff on automobiles that was announced last week is also coming into effect tomorrow, followed by 25% on automobile parts next month.
During his tariff announcement, Trump claimed that the EU is “pathetic” for how it treats the US and announced 20% “reciprocal” tariffs on other imports.
Trump held a chart outlining the tariffs, and the chart claimed that the EU puts tariffs of 39% on the US.
Speaking to The Journal last week, Professor of Political Economy at Trinity College Sharyn O’Halloran said that with the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is “looking for a way to have what his administration perceives as a levelling of the playing field”.
“This is a shift in their dialogue in the sense that they’ve shifted from the Mexico and Canada case, when they were saying that these were national security issues — the immigrants coming from Mexico and supposedly the illicit drugs coming from Canada — and they’re now using this list of countries that have trade imbalances,” she said.
Taking to the podium just after 9pm Irish time, Trump labelled his speech a “declaration of economic independence” before going on to criticise cheaters and “foreigners” who he said had pillaged his country’s economy.
Delivering a long, rambling speech, the US president announced that he was putting a blanket 20% tariff on all goods coming from countries in the European Union.
Reading from the large chart that he produced and held aloft as he spoke, he revealed that a number of countries would be hit even harder, with tariffs of 24% on Japan and 26% on India.
He also confirmed details of a 25% tariff on all non-US-made cars.
Training his ire on the EU for a section of his speech, he said Europe had been ripping off America. “It’s so sad to see. So pathetic,” he said.
Reiterating his arguments in favour of tariffs he said other nations were getting “rich and powerful at our expense” and that tonight’s move would lead to “stronger competition and lower prices for consumers”.
“In many cases the friend is worse than the foe when it comes to trade,” he said.
The new tariffs on US trading partners are set to begin this weekend, White House officials said after the speech, with a higher rate on “worst offenders” to take effect next week.
Tánaiste Simon Harris briefed Cabinet last night about Ireland and the EU’s state of readiness to deal with the tariffs.
Speaking following Trump’s announcement, Harris said he “deeply regrets” the tariffs.
“There are no winners when it comes to tariffs – they are bad for consumers, put jobs at risk, and drive up costs and uncertainty for business.”
My statement on tonight’s announcement by the US President. pic.twitter.com/uSXKMtiBIU
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) April 2, 2025
Harris remarked that the government will “seek to control what we can control and influence what we can influence while drawing on unity with our EU partners as our greatest strength”.
“The EU and Ireland stands ready to find a negotiated solution with the US. Negotiation and dialogue is always the best way forward.”
“I must be honest tonight that a 20% blanket tariff on goods from all EU countries could have a significant effect on Irish investment and the wider economy and the impact of what has been announced is likely to be felt for some time.
“It represents a huge challenge to Irish exporters to the US across all sectors. Our relationship with the US is long, deep and meaningful and I want to be clear that it will endure far beyond any difficulties we may encounter in the time ahead.
“We will continue to emphasise the fact that the US-EU relationship is a two-way street. Our economies are interdependent and an extended trade dispute is in no one’s interest.”
Harris will chair the Government Trade Forum on Friday and will attend an EU Trade Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin tonight remarked that “the imposition of tariffs is bad for the world economy”.
“We see no justification for this,” said Martin.
“More than €4.2 billion worth of goods and services are traded between the EU and the US daily.
“Disrupting this deeply integrated relationship benefits no one. Tariffs drive inflation, hurt people on both sides of the Atlantic, and put jobs at risk.
“As I agreed with European Commission President von der Leyen in our recent phone call, EU unity is crucial, and our response should be considered and measured.”
Martin added that a “confrontation is in no one’s interests” and that “now is a time for dialogue”.
“As a small, open economy, and as a country that has built our prosperity on a policy of free and fair trade, there is no doubt that the imposition of tariffs by the US will have an adverse impact.
“Ireland’s priority is the protection of jobs and our economy,” said Martin.
“It is important that we focus on factors that we can control, including improving our competitiveness and investing in infrastructure.
“By working with Irish-owned companies, multinationals, our EU partners and bilaterally with the US, we can and will weather this storm.”
Analysis by the Department of Finance and the ESRI, produced before tonight’s announcement, suggested the tariffs could cost Ireland more than €18 billion in lost trade.
There are also fears about US companies uprooting their Irish operations or making future decisions not to locate here.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday that the EU still hopes for a “negotiated solution” to US tariffs but that “all instruments are on the table” to respond if necessary.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said earlier today she believes the EU should not impose counter-tariffs on the US, saying there should not be a “knee jerk reaction” from the EU that would exacerbate the issue.
Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector, which employs 50,000 people – 30,000 of them in US companies – is considered to be particularly vulnerable.
In the Executive Order outlining the tariffs, it was stated that pharmaceuticals are not subject to the tariffs under this order.
The sector doesn’t expect “immediate” job losses from the looming trade war but fears the impacts will be felt “four or five years” from now due to the timescale for investment in large-scale manufacturing plants.
“Everybody’s just waiting to see what happens,” said Eimear O’Leary, communications and advocacy director for the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, speaking to The Journal.
O’Leary outlined that it’s “hard to say anything for definite” on how the tariffs will play out but that they “will impact and they will certainly create significant commercial challenges for companies based here”.
-With additional reporting from Christina Finn, Mairead Maguire and Eoghan Dalton
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
All well and good, but it will only work if people want to work. The only reason somebody should be out of work today is if they are physically or mentally unable to.
@Coco86: Social welfare should be capped per area. No square kilometre of the country should be allowed more than 8% of its people on the dole.
@specialsue: that’s ambitious. Not a huge amount going on in Frenchpark.
@specialsue: well that’s the most moronic statement I’ll read all day. And how exactly does this work? First come first served and good luck to everyone else?
@specialsue: I have heard some ridiculous statements but that has to be the worst.think about it again and come back in and apologize.
@Coco86: depends on the work, apprenticeships good , minimum wage jobs in Tesco not good.
@Hardly Normal: well then get an apprenticeship.
@Eon Cocker: specialsue specialises in these type of comments. Reactionary and populist sound bites.
@Hardly Normal: getting of the ar5e to begin with, good
@Coco86: are you hiring?
@Hardly Normal: And whats wrong with working anywhere on minimum wage while looking for an apprenticeship?
@marian: I am actually, are you looking?
@Coco86: yeah, can you please give me the address so i can come there and talk with a manager also please give me your name so i can say I spoke with you about a job position… thanks!
@marian: I’m currently recruiting for a number of live roles based in the South East. Register with one of the three recruitment firms in Waterford, put coco in the subject line and ill find you :)
@Coco86: so cool man i am actually from waterford, just give me the business address and your name i can meet you today at one of your recruitment agencies.
@marian: I’ve just told you what to Do, but you can have the last word, I’m quite busy – at work – you know what that is? Have fun pal x
@Coco86: ok I just did, I’ve put coco in the email subject can you please reply back to me!? Thanks!
@Coco86: you can bring a horse to a water trough but ……..
@Coco86: still waiting!
@Coco86: dude you need professional help, have you tried mentalhealthireland.ie ?
Absolute rubbish I was unemployed and I was given every opportunity and help to find employment, As much as I enjoy slagging the government at every available chance, I was allowed do courses free of charge and have another diploma under my belt thanks to my local employment center. I work for myself now.
@Graham Light: Well said Graham and fair play. I was out of full time work for almost three years during the recession. Re-skilled in college now im on a completely different career path. All these opportunities are still there but most dont want them. Serious review of the social welfare system for those who can but wont work would be a better use of time
@Graham Light: agreed and well done, and i wish you the best of luck. I can only imagine that these 8k out of work must be the sc&mbags who have no intention of working and make a few bob out of peddling dope, They should be made sweep the strees
@Joe Mc: “peddling dope”
What’s this Compton?
@Mark McDermott: Have a walk around parts of our beautiful capital at night and you may as well be in Compton. I went to get milk the other day for my Dad and counted 6 needles on the street, its a 5 minute walk. I am very proud of where my family come from, infact its our family home for generation’s but its not a nice place to walk around at night anymore.
@Graham Light: the only point I’ll differ with you is you have to remember these younger people came of working age when there was no work. My belief is if your not working by the age of 17-18 you get into a rot which is hard to break
@Graham Light: Well said Graham, Our social welfare is the problem, it should be gradually reduced for people able to work, no excuses for not working in the current environment, this throwing free money at people that are able but unwilling to work has to stop.
@David Clarke: I agree with you David its not easy but its not impossible either. I know I was unemployed feeling low, unable to buy the things I wanted, feeling like a drain on society but all I am saying is there is so many courses available and they are free.
@Graham Light: agree I was on the dole also and did a course didn’t mind keeps the head right.
@Graham Light: And here’s another false name no profile FG’er praising the government and himself.
@Dave Doyle: thanks for the heads up
@Dave Doyle: I have been called alot of things during my life but a FG’er thats a first, however your entitled to your opinion and in relation to praising myself, I have ever right too, I worked hard in my course and I am proud of myself.
@Dave Doyle: Don’t see your contribution to the discussion. Aside from the major problems with this government nobody can say they dont have opportunities to better themselves via education. Do what you like then emigrate or stay or whatever. But it’s a bit rich to have a pop at someone for taking the opportunities, and yes fair play to successive governments for providing said opportunities. But I’d imagine you just like complaining, here – have some free money
Social welfare has this country ruined.
“Innocent people are dying in the streets” as a result of homelessness.
SW is a career choice now. It’s the same standard of living as those on low income wages so what’s the point in working?
@Pajo Mata: It can also ruin the chances of healthy young people receiving it long term as they don’t learn to stand on their own feet, thereby missing out on the great opportunities that life has to offer.
@Pajo Mata: who has died on the streets as a result of homelessness ?? Proof please……I think you will find they died of something other than homelessness….
@Pajo Mata: exactly
@Gerry Cummins: Hmmm being homeless, can cause a person to lose all self worth, I don’t blame homeless people wanting to drink alcohol all day if it numbs the pain, if it makes them blackout, anything to escape the absolute misery of homelessness. I would say that the people who died on the streets homelessness was a contributing factor
Can’t work won’t work
@John Swan: more like can work won’t work
@Dave Byrne: Too true
@John Swan:
We should do the same as Italy is going to do: refuse 3 job offers in 2 years, lose your dole.
Plus, welfare should always be cut when unemployment is low, not increase it. But no political party in Ireland backs that idea despite being warned about it by the OECD.
So when you hit a recession, and one is soon coming, you’ll have billions more in payouts.
If there is easy welfare money and you’re better off being on the dole than working some jobs, then there’s no incentive to get a job. Oh, and stop importing low-skilled and unskilled people, which is bad in all sorts of ways.
I fear it will never change no matter who’s in government.
Never, ever before has there been SO many Access, training, Vtos, BTEI, Return to work, learning- you name it, initiatives. .if somebody is able to work but now unemployed, it should be mandatory that they are in some Training/Upskilling course whilst receiving Social Welfare. We are fast becoming a nation of ‘ entitlers’ whereby we expect SO much for free but dont ask us for anything in return. Its v obvious- and visible, esp in Summertime when one wants certain jobs done- that there are Many people on SW and yet ABLE to do jobs on the side (with accompanying Cash payments..) . Too many excuses.
@Margate: We are entitled to free housing, social welfare, education and healthcare but we don’t want to work for it…. this BS has to stop
@Margate: they get their payments reduced if they don’t take part in training and are not seeking work. Plus they are made to work up to 30 hours per week in various schemes until they find employment. It’s not a free ride anymore.
@Margate: where do you work?
@Tatjana Kytmannow: what about you, where do you work?
@marian: I work, and damn hard for sure. Whats with ” Where do you work” ??? Why?? And yourself? Never ask a personal question that you wouldn’t be willing to answer yourself..
@Margate: you are the one who posts idiotic comments here not me!
Unless you are physically unable to work, there is pretty much limited or no excuse not be working these days, especially under that age. Lazy a-holes who seem to think the SW is some sort of a career these days. Get up off your holes and pay your own way – that includes thinking you are “entitled” to a home also. Stop expecting hand-outs! Time for a radical overhaul of the SW system
@SkylineSi: if you live in the sticks where there are literally 3 shops and 5 pubs, all which are owned by people who hire only their own children, you have to travel miles of rural road to get to the next town…. it can be quite hard. That’s why I’ve gone back to education.
Start popping out the babies, set for life, no need to ever work a day again
I heard of someone last week who is unemployed and a course came up he was really interested in, But he wasn’t eligible because he wasn’t unemployed long enough.. Make sense of that.
At least those who are under 26 now have much greater opportunities to find work than back in the 80’s and 90’s where your options were the boat to England or get to the USA and work illegally.
Online education and work is possible also.
Unless you’re incapable of working due to illness, disability or homelessness then there’s very little excuse.
@Dotty Dunleary: exactly.when I left school in the eighties there was nothing.one way ticket to London was the only option,and it was the best education I probably ever received as I arrived with about 100punts and a couple of phone numbers and it has stood to me since.
So the counties with the largest populations have the highest numbers of unemployed and the counties with the smallest populations have the lowest numbers. Who would have thought it?
@Earth Traveller: That would rather suggest that it’s the natural percentage of people unable to work… if it was social or educational reasons, different areas would have different proportions
Longford is getting over 1000 jobs with the new center parcs development. The county has 4,000 unemployed.
Can we expect that the unemployment numbers for Longford will be down to 3,000 next year?
@John Mulligan: Doubt it, you will see a population increase of about 500 – 600 though
This is also the age group struggling the most with depression and having to endure the most difficult working conditions. It’s sad to see such animosity towards those young people who are finding it difficult to get a start in life, the stick approach to cutting off payments is more likely to lead to a very dark place than it is to rolling up the sleeves and magically turning into a productive member of society as some seem to think.
@Rochelle: your softly softly approach was tested for years and it does not work.nothing better than reducing their ‘entitlements’ to focus minds.
@John: You want to play sink or swim with the age demographic with the highest rate of suicide in the country? I don’t think you’ll find many swimmers.
Is this 8k including all the so “employed” people on schemes? Unemployment is still very high, they just jig the numbers to suit their agenda.
I’d say it’s a lot more than 8k, official gov figures and all that!
Have a 10% reduction in benefits each week…
it should be onely for 3 years after that should cover rent paid to council or landlord no cash same utilities and card by food onely
There are plenty of jobs out there problem is most are part time or temporary contracts with young people earning same as those on dole but without any assistance ie housing, medical cards etc
And there it goes again. Fyi, all the people saying that it is a lifestyle choice; these people came of working age in the depth of the recession. They will be made to do training or find employment, or they are getting their payments reduced.
Doesn’t matter how much money you throw at this issue, there’s always been this section of society you are basically not only unemployed, but actually unemployable. You could start up a new training program for them but whats the point ? Throwing good money after bad. It was the same during the so-called boom years, the years of ‘full employment’. We still had an unemployment rate that never fell below 4%.
@Tommy Roche: it is probably safe to say most of these longterm unemployed youths are likely suffering from addiction issues too. Who wants to hire an heroin addict that will most likely miss work, or steal from work because of their addiction?
Foot up the Aras
How many of these have since participated in the YESS scheme?
Actually how many youths under 26 yrs are on activation schemes.When people on activation schemes are included in unemployment figures ,it adds 3% to unemployment rate.(CSO)
Our government is taking from the pockets of those who are prepared to work and giving the proceeds to those who couldn’t be bothered. That’s not sustainable or right.
Cut their dole to 30euro a week and then watch them pull their fingers out and get work. There is absolutely no excuse not to work.
The government needs to make it less appealing to stay at home. I’m part of the squeezed middle who pay for it.
Some people in this country on the dole live better than people like me working a 48hr week. Sick of it is an understatement. Lazy bees. Exceptions of course for people with disabilities and illnesses. But having a rake of kids is not an illness.
I once lived in a inner city suburb where the majority of these young people come from. Its heartbreaking to see these young people waste on the dole with the girls having babies and boys selling drugs (part time). How can people drown in a country with a thousand opportunities for anyone to excel??? Why are people coming from thousands of kilometers with no qualification and no English yet they find an economic space to meaningfully exist in while someone born and bred here drown in the midst of plenty???What is responsible for people in their 20′s almost giving up in life????
have your say