Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

We are continuing to engage. I had a meeting with my Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, a while ago on this. I intend to seek to speak to him again on it because I read some commentary in a report I got back from Italy recently about some broader discussion in Italy on it. I have not heard directly from the minister on it, so I do not wish to misrepresent Italy's position.

In fairness to the European Commission, it is a statement of fact to say that the new legal instrument is trying to make improvements. That is true. The new deal makes the Paris Agreement an essential element. There is a new deal around concrete commitments to tackle deforestation. There are commitments on trade, women's empowerment and the development of a sustainable supply chain. I acknowledge that the Commission is endeavouring to make the agreement better, but I am also not convinced that the additional legal instrument provides the necessary legally binding assurances that Ireland has insisted upon since way back when. It is for that reason we continue to oppose the agreement.

We have always been willing to work and engage. There have been some improvements but does it meet the threshold of the legally binding assurances we need? It does not.

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