Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is fair enough. I am happy to answer those questions but it is my intention initially to speak about the long-standing links that exist between the two countries and mention as many other issues as I possibly can but free trade is certainly one that I would like to mention and to restate Ireland's and the European Union's commitment to free trade and opposition to protectionism which was again a feature of the European Council summit last Thursday and Friday, where the council decided against proposals that would screen purchases of State-owned enterprises of companies in Europe. As much as it is possible to work in many things into a conversation the ongoing commitment to free trade will be one of those.

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