Dáil debates

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Ceisteanna - Questions

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

4:10 pm

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

Yes, it would be much easier to find replies.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 8, inclusive, together.

On Monday, 28 May, I met the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Lee Nak-yeon, in Government Buildings. This was the first visit by a South Korean Prime Minister to Ireland since 1990, and an opportunity to discuss strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries and a number of developments at European Union and international level. We discussed the strong growth in trade between Ireland and South Korea in recent years, which has been enabled by the European Union-South Korea international trade agreement. We also discussed progress in reopening access to the Korean market for Irish beef. I look forward to further progress on this issue during the coming months.

The Prime Minister and I also discussed increased co-operation in the area of education and research and we noted the increasing number of Korean students in Ireland. We discussed the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula. I reiterated Ireland's support for the Korean Government's continuing efforts to build peace and achieve denuclearisation of the peninsula. The meeting was an excellent opportunity to progress our bilateral relations, which I expect will continue to strengthen in the months and years ahead.

I spoke by telephone with Canadian Prime Minister, Mr. Justin Trudeau, on 26 May. He called me to convey his congratulations on the outcome of the referendum on the regulation of termination of pregnancy, which he described as a significant milestone for women's rights.

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