Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé buíoch den Taoiseach fá choinne an fhreagra soiléire sin. As the Taoiseach acknowledged, Ireland and India have a long and shared history and many shared cultural values. We were both colonised and endured many centuries of struggle and India like Ireland was partitioned but, unfortunately, our island remains partitioned. We also share difficulties created by climate change. There is a desire for greater economic co-operation, as the Taoiseach outlined.

Recent news coverage showed that hundreds of people died during the heavy rains in parts of India and there was huge disruption and devastation when the rainfall was three times the norm. The agreement, as the Taoiseach will know, at the Paris climate change conference represents and presents important opportunities and challenges for this State, the Indian state and the 200 other countries that signed up to it, but the devil is in the details and all of this depends on implementation. Agreeing to reduce greenhouse gases, the impact of this on the developed and less developed states and a fund to help the poorer regions of the world will present significant challenges in the decades ahead. Did the Taoiseach have any opportunity to go into the detail of all of that?

The Taoiseach spelt out some of the economic opportunities. According to the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2016 report, India will have the fastest growing economy in the world this year and next year, with predictions of 7.3% growth. The same report predicts that the global financial conditions will be volatile and may see diminished trade flows and stagnant investment. There are very significant opportunities for us to increase trade and investment. As the Taoiseach acknowledged, Irish exports to India are worth more than €55 million a year and almost 3,000 people here are employed by Indian companies. That is a marked increase from €34 million in 2012. Also, companies like the Kerry Group and Glanbia have a presence in India and there is potential for growth especially in the areas of technology, pharmaceuticals and agriculture with a growing and huge market with more than 3 million of a middle class. It is estimated, and the Taoiseach acknowledged this in his response, that 1,500 students from India are in higher educational institutions here. Around 26,000 India people live on the island, mostly in this part of it.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi indicated there would be growth in the number of flights and air routes between our two states. Does the Taoiseach have any information on this? Can he indicate what steps the IDA is taking to increase our economic footprint in India? Were there any discussions about sending an economic delegation to India? If there is any possibility of that type of approach, I suggest that we include our opposite numbers in the North, Invest NI and the appropriate Ministers. I know the Taoiseach has been a champion of this in the past with other overseas economic delegations.

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