TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS has refuted claims by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the “trade imbalance” between Ireland and America was discussed during a call between them this week.

Following a call on Monday, a statement from Rubio said it was the US’ “top priority” to address the difference in the levels of trade between the two countries. A separate statement from Harris made no mention of this being discussed.

Speaking in Liverpool today after meeting with ministers from the UK, the Tánaiste and Trade Minister was asked about the contradiction: “The trade imbalance wasn’t specifically referenced. I was on the call. I was on it for over 20 minutes.”

He said the extent of the conversation about trade, over which the Secretary of State in the US has no control, was to do with the Irish government’s respect for the White House to review trade agreements.

Harris added: “I hope that those trade policies would respect the fact that the transatlantic relationship is mutually beneficial.

“We discussed 115,000 jobs by Irish companies in the US. We discussed that Ireland is one of the top investors into the US. He said, ‘At least top 10′. I said, ‘Yeah, number six’.”

Asked if the American government was not being truthful in its read-out about the call, Harris said he would not accuse it of being so and reasoned that Rubio may have had a “different perspective” about the discussion.

He said it was likely a discussion on trade would take place between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and US Donald Trump next week, and claimed it was the norm for the leaders of the day to do so. 

The US’ mention to address the imbalance has raised concerns that Martin’s White House meeting could go south, but the Taoiseach said yesterday that he intends to be respectful in his conversation with Trump.

A Government source yesterday told The Journal that the trade figures “speak for themselves but were not an area of significant focus during the call, the real focus was on strengthening the relationship”.

It is understood the call between the pair was a lengthy one, focused mainly on Ukraine. Harris claimed today that the ministers spent most of their call speaking about peace in Ukraine and in the Middle East.

He said that he had brought up trade in the conversation, as the topic is within his department’s remit, and attempted to highlight the benefits that Ireland’s economy brings into the US.

Last year, Ireland exported approximately €50bn more goods to the US than it imported. Trump has repeatedly stated that he believes countries are taking advantage of the US when they have big trade surpluses with it.

In recent weeks, he has falsely stated that the European Union was set up to “screw” the US and said that tariffs would be implemented on goods and services imported from the bloc “imminently”.

When Martin travels to Washington next week to meet with Trump for the annual St Patrick’s Day visit, he will be under pressure to prevent a trade war and to deliver a message that free trade between the US and Ireland is mutually beneficial.  

Martin, speaking in Liverpool for an Ireland-UK summit yesterday, said he was not going to ask his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, for advice on the meeting and expressed his confidence in his ability.

“I won’t be seeking advice. I’ve met quite a number of people, but we will obviously discuss the issues of today,” he said.