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

-----and thus resulting in more revenues for the Exchequer.

In terms of full ratification, I agree it absolutely requires a debate and a vote in the Dáil. However, no date is set for that as yet. Thus far only two members states, Latvia and Denmark, have ratified the agreement in full. We do not have any date for that at present. The real benefits in terms of trade, business, jobs and revenue come from provisional application, which will happen this year and was approved democratically by the European Parliament on 15 February.

There was some anti-free trade rhetoric in the House during the questions. We have heard this anti-free trade rhetoric before. We heard it when people opposed joining the European Economic Community back in the 1970s. We heard it when people opposed the Single European Act in 1986. We heard it when people opposed joining the World Trade Organization. Very few people in Ireland seriously wish to reverse any of those free trade agreements or pacts we have entered into because people recognise those agreements are part of the reason we have 2 million people working in Ireland, rather than only 1 million, as was the case not long ago.

It is part of the reason for the improvement in living standards and prosperity in recent decades because we are a trading country and an open economy, and on balance we benefit from free trade agreements. There are pluses and minuses in any treaty or agreement but we certainly have more upside than downside. That is why people, including small and big farmers and businesses, are now fighting so hard throughout the country to retain free trade with Britain. They understand instinctively that their farms, property, businesses and jobs benefit from free trade. That is why we are trying to defend free trade with the United Kingdom which in some ways appears now to be turning inwards. That is why we are so committed to retaining free trade with the rest of the European Union and expanding our trade agreements with Canada, Japan and any other place within reason that is willing to negotiate agreements with us.

On climate action, the Canadian and Irish Governments recommitted themselves to the implementation of the Paris Accord. We had some discussion about the United States and the fact that even though it has issued its intention to withdraw from the Paris Accord, that cannot happen in effect until 2020 which potentially will be after the next electoral cycle in the United States. We expect it will meet its targets in the meantime. We will struggle to meet ours but we do intend to do so and will publish the national mitigation plan next week. We did not get into much detail on what Canada and Ireland are doing to implement the Paris Accord but we did commit the two countries to implementing it.

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