Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is an important issue to debate. I believe it is on the agenda because I read a press statement in The Irish Times, which I brought to the attention of the joint committee asking what it was all about. Consequently, the debate has now started and it is very important. I can apologise for being a relatively new Member of the Dáil but to this day, I still do not fully understand the structures vis-à-vis trade. For example, the Taoiseach is currently engaged in wonderful work in Japan, creating trade links and so on. I am unsure how this task in respect of the Tánaiste's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is broken up between the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister. In addition, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, keeps leading trade delegations, while the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Costello, has led trade delegations to Ghana or Nigeria. As for this committee, which carries the title "Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade" do its members lead trade delegations? I ask this question because the issue of trade and how it is handled should be considered centrally.

On foreign policy, I concur with many of the sentiments expressed. I have recently returned from Korea, China, Lithuania, Sierra Leone and Latvia, where members dealt and interacted-----