Trade Forum to receive update on events in the Middle East

By Jonathan McCambridge, Press Association

A meeting of the Government Trade Forum will receive an update on events in the Middle East from Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee.

The forum meeting on Monday will also consider international developments such as EU-US trade and tariffs and Ireland’s global St Patrick’s Day engagements.

Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers will also attend the event in Dublin.

Monday’s meeting will be the 11th of the forum since it was established in 2025.

McEntee said: “I will update the Forum on events over the weekend in the Gulf.

“While our focus remains on assisting Irish citizens there, the Government is carefully following the potential economic and trade impacts that may arise from the instability in the region.

“It is too soon to tell what this will mean for Ireland, but we have significant exports to the region itself, and it is als,o of course, a major global business and transit hub for goods and energy products.”

Diversification remains a key aim of our overall economic policy

She added: “More broadly, over the past days and weeks, we have seen significant developments in international trade.

“These have included the US Supreme Court decision in respect of US tariffs, and the collective response of the European Union.

“As chair of the Government Trade Forum, today’s meeting is timely as it will allow Government to continue to engage with and hear the views of key stakeholders in Ireland’s economy, and to bring direction to the conversation.

“Our response and decision-making must continue to be deliberate and strategic. The Trade Forum plays a pivotal role in this and I am grateful to our Members for the frank and open discussions being facilitated at the Forum.”

McEntee said St Patrick’s Day events across the world would highlight the importance of trade, investment and market diversification.

He said: “Diversification remains a key aim of our overall economic policy and later this morning I will update the Forum on the first progress report on the implementation of the Government’s Action Plan on Market Diversification.

“There are a number of early achievements in the plan which are already helping to support Irish business, including a new Enterprise Ireland office in Zurich, new Tourism Ireland offices in Dubai and Shanghai and my own department’s strengthening of our economic presence in key missions.

“This is evidence of this Government’s commitment to helping Irish business respond to current trade turbulence.”