TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has cited Ireland's 'historic' relationship with America during a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Trump said that Ireland, as part of the European Union, had taken advantage of America, with many US companies lured to the Emerald Isle by low corporate tax rates.
However, the president told Mr Martin — who is visiting the US for St Patrick's Day — that he was 'not upset' with Ireland, instead directing blame at the European Union and at his predecessors.
Mr Martin, meanwhile, said that while many US companies had moved to Ireland, the issue was a two-way street, with hundreds of Irish companies contributing to the US economy.
'Irish are smart people'
Speaking in front of reporters at the White House, Trump said he understood why US companies relocated to Ireland and why Ireland had in turn welcomed them.
"The Irish are smart people, you took our pharmaceutical companies and other companies," he said.
"Through taxation, and proper taxation, they made it very good for companies to move over there.
"We had presidents and people that were involved in this who had no idea what they were doing and they lost big segments of our economy.
"The European Union treated us very badly, they have for years."
He added: "This beautiful island of 5m people has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grasp."
Trump said he planned to impose reciprocal tariffs on Europe but said the drain would not have occurred on his watch.
He claimed that had he been in charge, he would have imposed tariffs of 200 per cent on sales for US companies that had left, but added that he was willing to welcome them back to America.
"The Democrats should get with us and come up with good tax policy so Ireland and other countries can't take our businesses from us. He understands exactly," Trump said, gesturing to Mr Martin.
"You guys did the right thing, I'm not upset with you, I respect what you've done, you've done a great job, but our people did a very bad job."
'Very good relationship'
Mr Martin, however, highlighted the positive impact Ireland has had on the US economy, citing Irish companies Ryanair and Aercap as the biggest purchasers of Boeing aircraft.
"It's a two-way street and we are investing a lot more in America now," said the Taoiseach.
"There's a lot of Irish companies here now, about 700-odd Irish companies based in America."
President Donald Trump welcomes Mr Martin to the White House (Image: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)He added: "A lot of them are creating thousands of jobs in America and it's only fair, that's the way it should happen
"I think it's a very good relationship that we have, it’s a historic one, it's happened over time.
"we've added value to American companies, we've increased our value, they've got access to the European market.
"I understand where you're coming from fully but I think it's a relationship that we can develop and that will endure into the future."
Ukraine praise
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach also praised Trump for his efforts to secure peace between Russia and Ukraine, with the US proposing a 30-day ceasefire.
Citing the Troubles in Ireland, Mr Martin said the proposals were an important first step on a journey to peace.
"I recall back in the early '90s when the first tentative steps to get peace in Ireland [were taken]," he said.
"People criticised people like John Hume and people like Albert Reynolds, the then Taoiseach, but they kept going.
"When we got that ceasefire in 1993 — OK, it took a number of years to get the comprehensive peace settlement — but the guns more or less largely went silent.
"The war in Ukraine is a devastating war on young people and I think that very simple, straightforward narrative is to be commended.
"We all have children; we're shocked at the prospect of young people losing their lives in that number, be they Ukrainian or be they Russian.
"Anything we can do to stop the violence, I think, is an extremely positive thing."
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