Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not "enamoured"; I just think this is a good trade agreement that we should ratify, and should have done so ages ago. It is not my baby. I was not involved in negotiating it. I do not hold any particular candle for it. It is an agreement that is good for Ireland that should have been ratified ages ago, which would allow us then to focus on other issues of even greater importance.

I cannot speak for the Minister for Transport but I have heard his explanations as to why he has changed his position on this. Much of that relates to the judgment of the ECJ on it and the changes that were made when moving from an ISDS to an ICS.

I am sure the Deputy would say otherwise but if Sinn Féin was in government, it might have a different position on this. I imagine if that were to happen, and I am not saying it is going to happen, Sinn Féin would make sure that Ireland was not the country holding up an EU trade agreement. I imagine the party would find the mechanism to change its position on it. Hopefully, that will never be put to the test because this will be ratified long before that.