Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Kiely for his presentation. I am not going to mention Brexit directly, because I am assuming and hoping my colleagues might, but there is something I want to look at. Mr. Kiely mentioned something on which Brexit will undoubtedly have a massive impact, which is priority six in regard to trade. That focuses on the EU-US trade deal. Following President-elect Trump's inauguration, I am absolutely certain that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, will be dead in the water, and I say that very reluctantly as someone who was an outspoken supporter of TTIP. I know that is not always the most popular thing to say. I fear that having an EU-US trade deal as a priority with the new President is no longer a viable position. I do not despair, however. The EU negotiated a solid deal with Canada through the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA. I think there is also massive potential for new trade deals, particularly in Asia, and I would like that to be fed back to the Commission. I know Commissioner Hogan undertook a serious study and information tour in places like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. Obviously, there is competition there, and there are concerns, but if we take the model of the EU-South Korea trade deal and apply that to other Asian markets, and improve on existing trade deals, I think there is potential in the short term to negotiate real, substantial trade deals with those countries rather than focusing on TTIP, which I think is at the 15th or 16th round of negotiation, and is the third or fourth attempt to actually get a trade deal.

In regard to Mr. Kiely's work in Ireland, it is a massive challenge. As someone who is pro-Europe, lived in Brussels and worked in the Parliament, there is nothing I could say that could ever be construed as eurosceptic. However, we are facing into a massive challenge of selling and sustaining the European Union. Brexit has forced this. The eurosceptics have actually won one for once, and we can no longer be complacent. I fear there is a particular mindset, not necessarily within the Commission but definitely within the pro-European brigade in Ireland. This is maybe is not necessarily from my generation, but perhaps my generation is taking for granted the very many positive things that we have experienced, such as free movement, free travel, free trade, the right to work and the right to various social services. The Commission could play a more central role in reviving the pro-European narrative in Ireland. Going back to the halcyon days of the 1970s and 1980s, we had great figures like Garret FitzGerald and Paddy Hillery leading the way. We need a return to that, because it is far too easy to knock the European Union and the European process. I would really like to see greater support and greater emphasis given to the individuals and the bodies. I would also like to see pressure put on individuals and bodies to actually come out and bat for Europe, and bat for the idea. Rather than having a cut against Brussels and the faceless elites, people should actually say that they got to go on holidays to Spain, spend their money there very easily, that they got sick, were able to see the doctor there for no fee and that they get that because of Europe. Not enough people take that into account now, and I think that is the big challenge.