John Whelan: Trump’s tariff damage to Ireland could be immense

As Ireland depends heavily on exports to Germany, Europe, and the US, the impact of tariffs is likely to be severe

Ireland's combined exports and imports across the EU totalled €126bn, well above the €87bn in two-way trade with the US. Picture: iStock

Europe’s largest economy would likely suffer another two years of recession if US president Donald Trump were to impose the pending tariffs on Mexico and Canada, according to economists from German research institute IW Köln. 

They concluded that the EU as a whole could suffer a similar decline this year, and a further reduction in 2026.