Senior Government figures have told Sinn Féin and the Opposition to “put their shoulders to the wheel” when it comes to “defending Ireland’s economy from the most serious crisis it has faced since austerity”, write John Drennan and Ken Murray.

In a message to the public, with 48 hours before the imposition of US tariffs and a possible global trade war on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “We have to stay calm and firm.

“Serious decisions are about to happen.”

Amid warnings from Tánaiste Simon Harris about “significant turbulence”, senior Government figures warned the Opposition: “Now is not the time for theatrics.”

One senior source said: “We are trying to defend tens of thousands of jobs. This is one of the most significant decades in the history of our State.

“It is a time for shoulders to the wheel, not childish things.”

A senior Government source said: “There is still time but there is no space for complacency.

“We need everyone working together and boycotts, be it of the White House or Dáil procedures, will not secure that.”

Meanwhile Tánaiste Simon Harris is to hold calls with the Dutch trade minister and his counterparts in Croatia and Denmark today as the countdown continues to the introduction of US tariffs on imports.

Mr Harris will emphasise the importance of the EU working closely together in a “calm, strategic and measured fashion” while continuing to engage positively with the US.

The Tánaiste is expected to say: “How Ireland and the EU respond to the coming days and weeks won’t just impact the months and years ahead but our economic model and wellbeing for the next generation.”

Today’s series of bilateral discussions will also focus on the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.

Mr Harris will emphasise the importance of achieving a peace deal and the need for Ukraine to be part of any negotiations.

He will also state that Ireland is very much in favour of Ukraine joining the European Union and will stress to his colleagues the importance of working more closely together to support Ukraine’s accession plan.

The Trump administration in Washington has indicated that it intends to introduce tariffs on Wednesday, a date the US president has labelled “Liberation Day”.

A 25% tariff on vehicle imports into the US has already been introduced, stoking fears that a global trade war is inevitable.

However, despite the global concerns over the implications of such tariffs, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke says the potential threat to the Irish economy is “not as stark” as it was in the 2008 financial crash.

Speaking on RTÉ radio, Mr Burke said it was hard to predict what the US administration was planning but added that tariffs on pharmaceutical products could be “a double-edged sword”.

Mr Burke said the Government does not know at this point in time what the shape or form of the tariff package will be.

“Critically, the next aspect that we have to focus on is areas that are inside our control,” he said.

He added that he will meet Government leaders tomorrow evening, “where we’ll be going through a set of actions for a competitive action plan because we really have to have a laser-like focus on all our competitive issues that really the Irish economy needs to sharpen up on”.

The Government was “preparing as best we can” and will “get over this challenge and come out stronger for it”, he said.

He also said he would not expect pharmaceutical companies to move manufacturing facilities away from Ireland if tariffs on the industry are introduced.

US-based pharma companies are “using Ireland to be regulated to a key marketplace outside of the US”, he added.

“What I would be worried about is more the medium to longerterm effect,” he said.

“My worry is if this uncertainty continues, there will be a concern that decisions that will be taken – that will impact five, six, seven, eight years down the road – will not be taken and that’s where we need to be very strong.”

Meanwhile Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he held a “useful and constructive call” with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Mr Martin said she “outlined her expectations” regarding the planned imposition of tariffs.

The Taoiseach said he raised “Ireland’s particular focus on the food, drinks and pharma industries”.

In a social media post, he said: “We both agreed that the EU should be measured and considered in any response and focused on our own competitiveness and an ambitious trade agenda.”