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

Some 25 questions were covered in that reply and I had submitted eight questions. A number of broad areas were covered by the questions and the answer, including the G8 agenda, the undocumented Irish, Mr. Pat Finucane, the Israeli peace process in Gaza, Guantánamo Bay and the EU-US trade agreement.

Europe and the US are still caught in what has been the worst economic downturn in 70 years. It is being labelled the great recession. Is anyone out there proposing action that can do something to restore economic growth at global level? Recovery has been faltering and the situation is regressing in Europe and across the eurozone. The Taoiseach will be attending the summit as the holder of the EU Presidency. Will he be raising any concrete issues at the summit in an economic context or is it just the usual photo opportunity?

Does the Taoiseach accept the basic premise emerging from the debate in the eurozone that we must move from retrenchment to investment? We need to moderate and change direction in terms of economic policy at eurozone level. Cutting the European budget and the CAP budget by 10% over the lifetime of the next CAP is incredible given the context. We should be increasing the budgets to provide a stimulus to the European economy, which would help countries in greater difficulty.

The other issue that may emerge at the G8 summit is Ireland's corporation tax and our corporate tax structure. The situation pertaining to Google and its tax arrangements in Ireland were highlighted in a negative fashion at the Westminster Parliament. It is important to reassert that Ireland's corporation tax structure is perfectly legal. It is in compliance with OECD standards and international law. We are now having similar discussions in the context of Apple in the House of Representatives in the United States. It is important the Government takes robust steps to defend the Irish position and to argue proactively on Ireland's behalf, particularly given that we are in a globalised economic world where other countries will do what they need to do to sustain jobs and win investment. On previous occasions, when the corporation tax rate came under attack, we located specialists in the US Embassy to appraise commentators and American politicians of the importance and background to our situation. An initiative of that kind is needed, given that there seems to be a concerted move on multinationals located here. Part of that is because everyone is feeling the pinch because of the great recession. People are hitting out in various directions and it is important the Taoiseach outlines his perspective on that.

In terms of the undocumented Irish, there are reports today that the J1 visa will only be secured if a sponsoring employer coughs up $500. The students will not be able to pay the fee and, given that many students who go to the United States on J1 visas do not have jobs organised, we urgently need clarity on the issue and we need that measure removed from the draft legislation proposed. Former Congressman Bruce Morrison has spoken about it and it would be a significant step backwards if the J1 visas were undermined in that manner. It would represent a significant undermining of the capacity of Irish students to access the United States on J1 visas for the summer for a number of months to work and to engage in the American economy and cultural activities. In terms of the wider immigration Bill and the need for Ireland to develop an E3 visa, will the Taoiseach indicate if he met with some Republican Senators during his visit? There was an indication that some Republican Senators were not given meetings and there was some indication that among them were members of the "gang of eight". Perhaps the Taoiseach can indicate who he met and the nature of the lobbying effort that went in.

On the EU-US trade agreements, it is not just enough to say we want talks about an EU-US agreement or an agreement at any cost for the sake of having an agreement. There are fundamental reasons for the failure of the EU and US to agree on trade matters. It could have a positive impact for us on traded services but we should be open to the view that any agreement may not be good. There are many areas in which the doctrinaire approach to free trade would have a severe impact. I ask the Taoiseach to provide an assurance that no agreement that undermines the social and economic viability of family farms will be acceptable. We are aware of the model of enormous, mechanised farms drawing major State subsidies in the United States and that is only fair competition if one abandons the idea of maintaining rural life and environmentally sustainable practices. There are real issues in agriculture and food in terms of the EU-US trade agreements that could negatively impact on Ireland.

Has the Taoiseach weighed up the possibility of Britain leaving the EU or the threat of Britain leaving the EU? What impact will that have on the EU-US trade agreement?

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