Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

CETA will create sizeable new market access opportunities. We have spent the last hour talking about Brexit. It will present opportunities for our farmers. Meat Industry Ireland has written to me in support of CETA. Ireland has strong protections for our beef industry. It is important we make sure that Irish companies can avail of the Canadian market in the context of CETA. The Taoiseach indicated in the House yesterday that a debate on CETA will take place. I want to see the benefits of this agreement come into being so that we can have a fully informed debate based on real facts and evidence. We have an EU agreement with South Korea which has led to a 25% increase in Irish exports. That is real evidence that trade agreements work for Irish exporters and Irish jobs.

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