Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I congratulate Deputy McLoughlin on his Bill and agree with him that passing Committee Stage is an important step forward.

I have one niggling concern. I wish to raise a political matter even though I know is not the responsibility of this committee. I would like everybody to discuss, in a joined-up manner, whether my concerns are justified or unfounded. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, is being signed by over 20 countries at the moment and we are about to sign up to it also. We have briefly discussed CETA before. As far as I know, CETA can allow for interference in local rules when it comes to making decisions about free trade under this agreement. I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. That committee discussed the matter but it was not clarified enough for me. Perhaps the Minister of State or Deputy McLoughlin who are present will express their views on the following CETA matter. If CETA is passed there is a possibility that a country like Canada could challenge the law on the basis that it flies in the face of the sentiments of CETA, which is not to block a production or trade agreement that is enshrined by CETA. There are fracking companies in Canada that may wish to carry out fracking in this country but today's Bill should prevent them from doing so. Can such companies call for an investigation, considering what is enshrined in the law, into the economic blocking of a Canadian company that wishes to conduct fracking in this country? Can such a company refer the matter to a court of law citing the trade agreement and a court impose a heavy fine on Ireland for preventing fracking? I did not get a satisfactory answer to my query from the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Perhaps the Minister of State can address my query because I am still unclear about the matter.