Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is a significant date in Ireland-Cuba relations. It has been a long time coming. I acknowledge the presence of the ambassador today and also the work of his predecessors, Teresita de Caridad Trujillo Hernández and Hermes Herrera Hernández, who worked on this for many years. It is the culmination of all of that work that we are at this particular step today. This is an important agreement, as is establishment of Ireland-Cuba relations for 20 years and the celebrations there will be to mark that. The agreement is quite comprehensive in respect of the three pillars on which it will work.

I have been lucky to be able to visit Cuba a number of times and I have seen first hand what life is like there.

We can learn much from Cuba in particular areas. One of those areas is sustainable development and its use of eco-villages and eco-towns as well as in the areas of education and the accessibility of the health system regardless of people's means.

This ratification is needed for full application. We now need to see the concrete steps as to exactly what this will mean for both Ireland and Cuba. There is great potential for further engagement between Ireland and Cuba, particularly on trade and I know some small groups are working on that. However, the elephant in the room is the United States. I am not sure how much progress can be made while that is not being addressed. I have asked the Tánaiste many questions on the matter. I will quote from his reply to the most recent one: "Ireland believes that the embargo serves no constructive purpose and that the lifting of the embargo would facilitate an opening of the island’s economy to the benefit of its people."

For this agreement to really bring about progress and more positive effects for both Ireland and particularly Cuba, that needs to be addressed. How can we trade with a country if there is an embargo and if there are also banking issues? How can we apply pressure to get that blockade lifted? We know it was lifted for a short time under President Obama and it has now come back again. It is causing so many difficulties for people in Cuba. How successful can this agreement be while the blockade is in place? That is not to take from the significance of the agreement.