Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In terms of the broader question, during the week of St. Patrick's Day we co-ordinated significant virtual outreach not only to the Irish diaspora but to the economic interests Ireland has. We had many meetings, under the auspices of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, with companies and economic interests in the United States in respect of our interests in terms of both companies that want to expand into the United States and American companies that invest and are present in Ireland. Over recent months, I have held regular meetings with significant senior personnel in many multinational companies. These were held virtually as we could not travel. Thousands of jobs have been announced. Since January alone, I estimate that up to 6,000 jobs have been announced in a number of companies. There have been very significant announcements from the likes of Intel and from quite a range of digital companies that have announced plans for expansion and investment. As we get out of the Covid pandemic, we will be able to do this better by getting out there and visiting these companies. I anticipate the Government doing that with vigour once we can do so as a result of greater vaccination rates across Europe and the world. That will enable us to get back out there again with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to advance Ireland's cause and to create jobs.

Some work has recently been done by the Tánaiste's Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the value of economic trade agreements. This will be published. The research refers to four trade agreements, those with Korea, Japan, Canada and Mexico. These trade agreements have resulted in dramatic and very significant increases in Ireland's exports. We are a global nation and depend on global connectivity. I am very conscious of that.

With regard to our role on the UN Security Council, Ireland has been working extremely hard and doing a lot of work. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has been leading this contribution admirably. I intend to be there in September, as I have said. We have had engagement in respect of that, especially with regard to Syria and getting the agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue back on track. We have also had engagement on the climate front. We put the whole climate security issue on the agenda. So far, our representatives have been very effective and we hope to build on that. Our values and our approach to the conduct of international relations include encouraging a rules-based approach to international organisation and taking a peaceful approach to conflict. We want to apply the values that have informed Irish foreign policy over the years in the context of our membership of the UN Security Council. We do not necessarily wish to use our membership to raise our economic profile but rather to have a good and beneficial impact on the world, as best we can, through the Security Council.

With regard to the situation post Brexit, we need to do further analysis of the impact of Brexit on the British economy, as we export a great deal to Britain. The early figures as to the reductions in trade flows are significant. It remains to be seen whether these reductions will be sustained. That is something on which we have to keep an eye. In our engagement with the British Government, we are developing post-Brexit structures between Britain and Ireland. This will replace the kind of engagement we had as common members of the European Union. The work is ongoing with regard to the approach to the British-Irish dimension post Brexit but also with regard to putting the EU-UK relationship on a stronger basis. I hope that is happening because it would have a beneficial impact on the Irish trading experience for our exporters and importers and on the issue of Northern Ireland and the protocol.