Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the answer. The sixth round of negotiations on this took place in Geneva recently. While Ireland may have been represented in the room, if one counts that as participation, Ireland did not engage in the process and Ireland did not speak up on this. Ireland was silent on it. It is the case that the EU does not have an agreed mandate on this yet and I believe that it should. In the absence of an agreed mandate, and given how long it can take to get consensus on this in the Union and that there may never be consensus on this, I believe it is important that Ireland has a voice in this and is not silent.

Many of the concerns that the Minister raised about this previously, and which he has just articulated again about the treaty, must apply to all businesses to be fair, and not just to transnational corporations. Those concerns have now been addressed in the draft. Will Ireland now support this treaty, engage more, and not be silent at future negotiations?

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