Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will respond to Deputy Eamon Ryan. It is important that we have a debate in this House on TTIP. I expect the Whips to make arrangements for the business organisation committee to reflect on that and have an appropriate time for the entire House to discuss TTIP. It is very important. All of the material, as I have said, is on the relevant websites.

Yes, it is my view that people living outside the State who are Irish citizens should have the right under certain circumstances to vote in presidential elections. Going back to Deputy Micheál Martin's questions, we would be concerned about any diminution of the standards that apply in Ireland in the agri sector. Deputy Martin is well aware of this. We would fight very strongly to maintain and build on those standards. We are recognised internationally as being an exceptional country for the integrity and quality of our food. Carbon footprinting for all our dairy and beef herds is on the way, and we are negotiating very strongly to meet our commitments under the Paris Agreement negotiated at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21. In putting those exacting standards in place, were they to be lessened or diminished in any way other countries with lesser standards could take up that slack, and that would not be in anybody's interest. We will therefore fight to maintain those standards regarding the offensive issues that we have, as against the defensive issues in TTIP.

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