Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom an Taoiseach a mholadh as an chuairt a thug sé chuig an tSeapáin roimh an Nollaig. Tá a lán deiseanna dúinn sa tír sin. Bhí mé ag caint le Martin McGuinness agus tá a fhios agam gur bhuail an Taoiseach le Príomh Aire agus an Leas-Phríomh Aire, Peter Robinson agus Martin McGuinness agus molaim sin fosta. Bhí an bheirt sin an-sásta bualadh leis an Taoiseach agus sílim go mbeidh muid ábalta leanúint ar aghaidh i gceart ag obair le daoine sa Tuaisceart. Mar a deir an seanfhocal: Ní neart go cur le chéile. Molaim an obair thábhachtach seo.

The Taoiseach knows there is huge potential. Half of the world's population is in the Asia-Pacific region and within a decade it will account for half of the world's output, so increasing our political investment and trade ties to the region makes sense. I very much commend the Taoiseach's visit and the work he did there. The establishment of a partnership for innovation and growth, covering the range of issues the Taoiseach outlined, is an important and very welcome initiative, as is the Japanese Government's decision to reopen the Japanese market to Irish beef, which is potentially a hugely important matter.

With regard to the other issues the Taoiseach outlined as having been discussed with Prime Minister Abe, particularly around the EU-Japan free trade negotiations, when does the Taoiseach expect to see the detail and will there be an opportunity for the Dáil to debate these issues? The Taoiseach also raised the issue around the tension involving China and Japan, and other Asia-Pacific nations, over territorial waters and the exploitation of their resources. That brings us to how we, a small place, can influence these matters. It also brings us to the issue of reform of the UN, because it is clearly an international agency that has a particular function in that regard. The Sinn Féin position is that it does need reform, particularly the Security Council. Was the Taoiseach able to tease out any of that?

In March 2015 the third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction will be held in Japan. While I do not know if the Government has had the opportunity to consider this, will this State be represented at that conference?

I note, and thought it very positive, that the Taoiseach met with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister while he was there, and I know he did the same thing in regard to China and other initiatives he has taken on jobs, exports and so on. I note also that Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Ms Arlene Foster MLA, joined the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, on a joint trade mission to Singapore recently. Are additional steps being considered to promote co-operation between the Executive and the Government on job creation, economic growth and similar initiatives? There is a need for us to not compete with each other, particularly when we are dealing with this in a global way. Most people away from Ireland see it as one island, and clearly we should be marketing it in that way. I thank the Taoiseach for his answer.

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