Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The agreement is the first of its kind to be concluded between the European Union and the former Soviet states of central Asia. It is a clear acknowledgement that Kazakhstan is a priority country within the European Union's central Asia strategy. The agreement also forms part of Kazakhstan's multi-vector foreign policy which is intended to diversify Kazakhstan's political and economic relationships outside its traditional partners. The European Union is Kazakhstan's largest trading partner and also the largest originator of foreign direct investment into the country. The agreement provides an opportunity for the European Union to deepen co-operation across a range of sectors, including co-operation in trade and investment, justice and legal co-operation, economic and sustainable development and an enhanced regulatory framework for businesses. As was mentioned during the select committee's discussion with the Minister of State, the agreement is mutually beneficial to the European Union and Kazakhstan.

The agreement will also provide a basis for Ireland to deepen co-operation with Kazakhstan. As a small country on the western edge of the European Union, we must continue to seek to develop our profile and reputation in countries where we are still a somewhat unknown quantity. Although our bilateral trade is small, there are opportunities in agriculture and education, in particular. Strengthening our bilateral relationship with countries such as Kazakhstan is all the more important in view of the political and commercial realities the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union will undoubtedly effect.

The agreement will provide an opportunity for closer co-operation between the European Union and Kazakhstan on a political and economic level and, importantly, continue to provide a platform for the Union to raise human rights issues with Kazakhstan. That will, accordingly, create opportunities for Ireland to forge stronger political and economic relations with Kazakhstan, whereby we can also continue to raise these issues, as we will always do. I hope Dáil Éireann will support the motion in order that Ireland can proceed to ratify the agreement in the near future.

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