Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am seriously concerned by the Government's stance on climate change after what happened this morning. Yesterday, we all received an email addressed to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, and the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, saying:

We the undersigned write as a matter of urgency in advance of the informal meeting of EU trade ministers of February 21st [that is today]. We understand that it is proposed to advance two negotiating mandates for trade talks with the United States of America at these meetings. This is despite the US President's position on withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement and the clear and unequivocal position set out by the EU Commission and EU leaders in 2018 that real commitment to climate action, the Paris Agreement, is a precondition to any trade deal providing access to the EU market, the second largest economy in the world.

Are we getting involved in those negotiations today or are we stepping out of them?

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