Taoiseach ‘planted a seed’ when he raised US tariffs on whiskey with Trump

Irish premier Micheál Martin said he had “planted a seed” when he raised the issue of US tariffs on Irish whiskey with Donald Trump, which led to the surprise announcement that the tariffs would be removed.

The US president made the announcement as he brought his two-day visit to Ireland to a close on Sunday.

The crowds cheered after Mr Trump confirmed he would be removing the tariff during the prizewinning ceremony at the Amgen Irish Open at his Doonbeg golf resort in Co Clare.

Mr Martin said he spoke to Mr Trump about the “difficulty” surrounding US tariffs on Irish whiskey, and how he had recently visited a distillery in Co Offaly – the home county of Irish Open winner Shane Lowry – in a move to “focus and concentrate the mind” of the president.

On Sunday the president presented the Irish Open trophy to Lowry.

He told the crowd he had discussed whiskey tariffs with the golfer and Mr Martin.

Mr Trump said: “Everybody’s been bugging me.

Micheál Martin and Donald Trump talking at the Amgen Irish Open (Damien Eagers/PA)

PA Wire

“They are saying would you do me a favour? It’s so unfair what’s going on.

“Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey and I said, on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off Irish whiskey.”

Whiskey made in the Republic of Ireland sold into the US is subject to a 10% tariff. Whiskey made in Northern Ireland or elsewhere in the UK has no tariff.

When asked if it was the most pressing economic issue in Ireland, Mr Martin said “it wasn’t”.

He told RTÉ Radio One: “But I did, on the way in, say to him in advance of the meeting there was an issue around Irish whiskey, in terms of the discriminate or the difficulty with the decision he took on Scotch whisky.

“Obviously, he has a particular affection for Scotland, given his mother was from there and so on, and we explained, actually, in the context of Northern Ireland and the Republic, the actual impact of that in terms of the differential treatment between north and south.

“Actually, anyway, he raised it again yesterday at lunch – we planted a seed – and he said to me, he would do whatever he could. And then yesterday we began talking about it, and I had said to him that I had been to a distillery last week.

“I was in Tullamore Dew in Co Offaly, in the home county of Shane Lowry, had to get the focus and concentrate the mind, in terms of that. But anyway, interestingly, then the link with Tennessee and casks. So in other words, if Irish whiskey isn’t selling it as well, we won’t be importing as much casks.

“Distilling is a very important industry, and it gives a lot of jobs and helps to sustain farming and so on.”

The Irish Whiskey Association said it “heartily welcomes” the announcement, stating: “We will continue to work with our EU and US counterparts to secure a return to the zero-for-zero arrangement for all drinks exports.”