Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The TTIP is currently under negotiation. The opportunity that exists for Europe and the United States, which are the two biggest trading blocs on the planet, to reach a series of trade agreements is nothing new. It has been talked about for over 20 years. If agreement can be reached, the opportunity exists to create approximately 2 million jobs on either side of the Atlantic and to set down the standards for world trade for many years to come. This is not without difficulty. Obviously, each side has a number of concerns that are very close to its individual policy positions. Each side is finding it difficult to change or deal with those concerns, which have been outlined by various European countries and by the United States. My feeling is that if TTIP is not dealt with by the end of this year, it is unlikely that it will be concluded in the lifetime of the Obama Administration. There are two good teams working on this across a whole range of sectors. The perception that Europe was afraid to table the difficult issues and the United States was afraid to table the difficult issues is not actually true. Issues such as tariffs and procurement are being tabled and new offers are being made. Quite a number of chapters of TTIP remain to be considered. I would say, in respect of the education system, that we have a unique advantage in this country. When one speaks to investors from abroad, one hears that one of the outstanding qualities of Ireland's attractiveness is the flexibility of our education system-----

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