Dáil debates

Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed)

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

5:00 pm

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

2. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Damodardas Modi; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33922/15]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

3. To ask the Taoiseach the status of his meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Damodardas Modi, on 23 September 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33968/15]

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to hold official talks in Dublin the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on 23 September of last year. The visit to Ireland formed part of a longer trip which included Prime Minister Modi's attendance at the UN General Assembly. I also travelled to attend the General Assembly and I recently reported details of that trip to the House.

Although the visit of Prime Minister Modi was relatively brief, it was nonetheless very significant, given the importance of our economic and political relationship and the fact that this was the first visit to Ireland by an Indian Prime Minister for almost 60 years. At the meeting I was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister for Education and Sills, the Minister for Health and a number of officials.

Prime Minister Modi and I had a very positive and constructive discussion covering a number of bilateral issues. Ireland and India have historically enjoyed strong links, dating back as far as our respective independence movements. Our relationship today continues to be strong, extending beyond cultural links to include, among other things, trade, investment and education. During our meeting I reiterated an invitation to the President of India to make a state visit to Ireland.

On economic issues, Prime Minister Modi outlined his programme of economic reform and his government's aim of ensuring that India's economic progress continues and that development spreads throughout the country. I outlined the strength of Ireland's economic recovery and highlighted a number of areas where Irish companies could make important contributions to Indian needs, including in the areas of water technology, information and communications technology, ICT, and health care. Both Prime Minister Modi and I discussed the potential for increased investment in each other's countries. I welcomed the announcement of 110 new jobs in Dublin by Indian company, NIIT Technologies, on the day of the Prime Minister's visit. Since the visit we have also seen a significant jobs announcement by the Indian technology company, Infosys.

Education is an area of strong co-operation between Ireland and India. The Prime Minister mentioned his government's efforts to enhance the accessibility of education their - its "Digital India" campaign. I welcomed the increase in the number of Indian students studying in Ireland, which has nearly doubled since 2012. Both sides expressed the importance of continuing to expand these important linkages.

We discussed health care and specific proposals to ensure that medical internships carried out in India are recognised in the Irish system. These proposals will be addressed in the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which is currently being drafted by the Department of Health.

We also discussed a number of multilateral issues including UN reform, peacekeeping, nuclear disarmament and Syria. On the latter, I provided Prime Minister Modi with an update on the steps taken at EU level to address the ongoing migration crisis.

Prime Minister Modi made reference to his disappointment that the negotiations on the EU-India free trade agreement had stalled. Speaking on this point, the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, agreed that the temporary delay was disappointing but expressed the hope that negotiations could resume and progress be achieved.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to the Irish experience of 1916 and spoke of how the centenary in 2016 would provide good opportunities for co-operation in acknowledging that shared aspect of our histories. I know that the Irish and India ambassadors are considering how we might take this forward and develop it in the coming year.

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tá mé buíoch den Taoiseach fá choinne an fhreagra soiléire sin. As the Taoiseach acknowledged, Ireland and India have a long and shared history and many shared cultural values. We were both colonised and endured many centuries of struggle and India like Ireland was partitioned but, unfortunately, our island remains partitioned. We also share difficulties created by climate change. There is a desire for greater economic co-operation, as the Taoiseach outlined.

Recent news coverage showed that hundreds of people died during the heavy rains in parts of India and there was huge disruption and devastation when the rainfall was three times the norm. The agreement, as the Taoiseach will know, at the Paris climate change conference represents and presents important opportunities and challenges for this State, the Indian state and the 200 other countries that signed up to it, but the devil is in the details and all of this depends on implementation. Agreeing to reduce greenhouse gases, the impact of this on the developed and less developed states and a fund to help the poorer regions of the world will present significant challenges in the decades ahead. Did the Taoiseach have any opportunity to go into the detail of all of that?

The Taoiseach spelt out some of the economic opportunities. According to the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2016 report, India will have the fastest growing economy in the world this year and next year, with predictions of 7.3% growth. The same report predicts that the global financial conditions will be volatile and may see diminished trade flows and stagnant investment. There are very significant opportunities for us to increase trade and investment. As the Taoiseach acknowledged, Irish exports to India are worth more than €55 million a year and almost 3,000 people here are employed by Indian companies. That is a marked increase from €34 million in 2012. Also, companies like the Kerry Group and Glanbia have a presence in India and there is potential for growth especially in the areas of technology, pharmaceuticals and agriculture with a growing and huge market with more than 3 million of a middle class. It is estimated, and the Taoiseach acknowledged this in his response, that 1,500 students from India are in higher educational institutions here. Around 26,000 India people live on the island, mostly in this part of it.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi indicated there would be growth in the number of flights and air routes between our two states. Does the Taoiseach have any information on this? Can he indicate what steps the IDA is taking to increase our economic footprint in India? Were there any discussions about sending an economic delegation to India? If there is any possibility of that type of approach, I suggest that we include our opposite numbers in the North, Invest NI and the appropriate Ministers. I know the Taoiseach has been a champion of this in the past with other overseas economic delegations.

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Clearly, with a population of 1.2 billion, more than one sixth of the world's population, India has become one of the fastest growing major economies on the globe. Since it began a campaign of economic liberalisation in 1991, India has recorded continuously high growth rates.

Currently, that growth is being propelled by sectors which include aviation, education, the agritech sector, medical devices, e-commerce and software-as-a-service, SWAS, offerings. Many of the sectors are areas where, as the Deputy pointed out, Irish companies have particular strengths and it is imperative, therefore, that we provide them with the appropriate supports to capitalise on this opportunity. The Prime Minister specifically mentioned the difficulties India is having with the Ganges, which is an enormous river of 2,500 miles. We have since made contact with the Prime Minister’s officials in respect of a number of Irish technology firms which deal with wastewater and its treatment that may be of interest or assistance to India.

As the Deputy pointed out, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, has invested significant effort in improving our trade links with India. Enterprise Ireland has an office in New Delhi, which offers in-market support for Irish businesses in India. IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland both operate from Mumbai. All of those agencies participate in what is called the local market team. The team is chaired by our ambassador to India and it co-ordinates the trade and investment efforts of all the agencies under a shared market strategy and plan.

Nine focused trade missions have taken place to India during the lifetime of the Government. Clearly, they are an invaluable way of developing new and existing markets overseas for Irish businesses. In that context I can inform Deputy Adams that we have been very willing to associate with trade missions or Ministers from Northern Ireland.

India is one of the fastest growing tourist generating countries in the world. Tourism Ireland estimates that the number of Indian visitors coming here in 2014 increased by approximately 10% and 2015 will see a further increase. I will bring the Deputy up to date in respect of the flight connections when we see what is happening in this regard.

In respect of education, staff from the Department of Education and Skills and their colleagues in the education in Ireland section of Enterprise Ireland have been working to increase the educational links between the two countries. In 2012, there were approximately 850 Indian students in Ireland. The number has increased to approximately 1,500 students studying in Ireland, mainly for postgraduate degrees in engineering, the pharmaceutical area, business, accounting, computer sciences and hospitality management. A significant number of Irish institutes have developed links with Indian institutes and colleges.

The scholarships given by this country that are administered by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, and supported and funded by the Department of Education and Skills entitle scholars to a waiver of tuition fees of approximately €15,000 for the term of the scholarship and a grant to the value of €7,500 to cover living expenses. The scholarships are awarded to candidates who have an excellent academic record, and in the 2015 to 2016 academic year, seven Government of Ireland scholarships have been awarded to students from India. In addition to the Government of Ireland scholarship programme, Irish higher education systems and institutions offer in the region of 200 scholarships which target Indian students each year.

A number of negotiations took place in respect of the European Union-India free trade agreement negotiations. They broke down because of the mismatch between ambitions and expectations. The parties got together again and the Commission short-listed three areas where the European Union would like to see progress before entering a decision-making process. First, the EU needs to receive a very clear signal from India on the removal of barriers to other services sectors, including insurance, banking, maritime and accountancy. Second, the EU wants to finalise the goods package, which is a balanced automotive package, and the European Union red lines on duty rates on wines and spirits are critical. Third, the EU wants an agreement to finalise procurement negotiations by signature, including comprehensive coverage on market access to the central level and an overall chapter with allowances for sufficiently ambitious commitments.

A meeting of the chief trade negotiators on both sides, which was due to be held in Delhi in August, was indefinitely postponed by the Indian ministry for commerce and industry after the EU imposed a legally binding ban on the sale of approximately 700 pharma products clinically tested by GVK Biosciences in Hyderabad.

The EU-India free trade negotiations are of interest to Ireland. Dairy products and whiskeys are key areas of export opportunity, which are currently subjected to very restrictive tariffs and non-tariff barriers. We are of the view that it would be very desirable for further meetings to take place to put some momentum back into the discussions between Europe and India.

I can inform Deputy Adams that we discussed other issues such as membership of the UN Security Council, the Security Council veto, migration and a number of other related issues.

5:10 pm

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Perhaps the Taoiseach could clarify matters for me. I welcome the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Ireland. I was on the previous trade mission to India with the then Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, when we developed a range of strands of the relationship in terms of the economy, trade, education and culture. The Taoiseach mentioned medical internships. I understand from his reply that he suggested there would be an agreement of mutual recognition between the Medical Council and the Medical Council of India. Will the Taoiseach clarify whether that is in respect of Indians coming to Ireland to work as interns and do their training here? In addition, will he outline the specifics of the agreement? Was a memo signed between Ireland and India on health?

Were there any discussions on India’s nuclear programme, which is expressly for civilian purposes, in terms of providing energy to its vast population? The Taoiseach mentioned tariffs. Did he have any substantive discussions on the excessive tariffs India continues to levy on whiskies imported into India? Irish whiskey and European whiskies are generally at an enormous disadvantage in terms of penetrating the Indian market because of the excessive tariffs levied by the Indian Government. Was there any discussion between the Taoiseach and the Indian Prime Minister in this regard? Was the wider issue of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, discussed with the Prime Minister?

In the education area, were any ideas on research developed at the meeting, for example, in terms of research partnerships in specific areas, be it pharmaceutical, life sciences or technology?

Is the Taoiseach satisfied that the Irish diplomatic and trade and enterprise footprint is sufficient to meet current needs and future potential given that in many ways the 21st century will belong to Asia, notwithstanding current difficulties, and that over a 50-year span there will be significant growth potential? Do we have enough Enterprise Ireland offices in India? Is the IDA presence in India strong enough and is the Taoiseach satisfied with the pipeline of potential projects coming from India on the foreign direct investment side?

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Given that the Deputy served as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, he is aware of the potential that exists in India with a burgeoning middle class spending capacity and the English language being spoken by the majority. India has the biggest population of English speaking people and it has a very strong legal base. Clearly, the opportunity for investment to Europe is very significant.

The investment and opportunity through Ireland to Europe is also very significant. If one looks at the number of people we have there, either with Enterprise Ireland or through the diplomatic service, namely, the ambassador and the team, one can never say we have enough. Those who are there do a first-class job. It is the same as in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. We have other real opportunities in other countries in Asia, such as Korea, Indonesia and China. The discussions foundered between Europe and India because of the mismatch I spoke of. I had hoped that from a European point of view, which would have direct benefit for Ireland, that we could get this moving again. In our discussions with the Prime Minister, we referred to these barriers. Clearly they are anxious to get back on track with the European free trade discussions with India, which I very much support.

The Deputy mentioned the health issue. We discussed health care and specific proposals to ensure medical internships carried out in India are recognised in the Irish system. There is a problem, which the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, was very well aware of and the proposals were to be addressed in the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which was then being drafted in the Department of Health. I will check that out to give Deputy Martin the up-to-date information.

5:20 pm

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Will the Taoiseach send me a note on it, please?

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will send the Deputy a note on it. The Deputy mentioned a number of other things. India requested to join the Missile Technology Control Regime, MTCR, as it is called. We indicated to Prime Minister Modi that Ireland was prepared to join a consensus on the Missile Technology Control Regime at a recent meeting in Rotterdam but no consensus emerged from that. India had also submitted an application for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, NSG, and Ireland is aware of India's keen interest in membership of the two groups involved. We appreciate its importance in terms of enhancing their capacity to trade in civil nuclear technologies. The recent NSG plenary meeting looked at the question of membership of the group for states which are not parties to the non-proliferation treaty, NPT, and agreed that this issue would continue to be examined by the group. Ireland looks forward to taking part in these discussions and to continuing to take an active part in it.

The question of UN Security Council reform was also mentioned. We are very supportive of Security Council reform. Ireland has continued to be very frustrated at the slow pace of reform and the impact it has on the council being able to act as efficiently and effectively as it should. We believe the five elements of UN Security Council reform are interconnected as part of a single package: categories of membership, the question of the veto, regional representation, the size of an enlarged council, and working methods and the relationship between the council and the General Assembly. One can only get success if there is agreement on all these five areas. We are very supportive as a country of the intergovernmental negotiations and Security Council reform and we believe now is a very opportune time to move towards what is referred to as text-based negotiations, that is, putting it down in writing.

On the question of the composition and membership of the UN Security Council, Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of UN reform and he specifically highlighted India's desire for a permanent seat at the Security Council. We recognise, as we have always done, that there is a need to expand the membership of the Security Council so it better reflects 21st century realities in a regionally balanced way. Any expansion of membership should accommodate member states that play a particularly significant part in the United Nations system. However, Ireland would want to prevent any diminution in the capacity of smaller member states to serve as non-permanent members on a rotating basis at regular intervals, as Deputy Martin is aware happens now.

On the final issue of the question of the veto at the Security Council, we firmly oppose the conferral of veto powers on any new members. Similar to many other states, we believe that extending the veto right to additional members of the council will only compound the difficulties associated with the current arrangements regarding veto rights. We wish to see the veto rights of the five permanent members of the Security Council - the P5 - ended. We are a supporter of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group which has launched a code of conduct calling for positive action by all members of the United Nations to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity. We have associated ourselves with the political declaration which was presented by Mexico and France calling for the voluntary suspension of the veto by permanent members of the Security Council in cases of mass atrocities. Deputy Martin is also aware that I was at the UN summit in September on the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, and a new global development agenda was set out there. A key component of that was the sustainable development goals of the 2030 agenda. That is the second of three major international agreements to be concluded in 2015 to promote sustainable development at the global level. The conference in Paris in December 2015 was a very significant achievement to which we will measure up when final targets are set for Ireland. In my address at the summit, I reiterated our commitment to make progress towards the target of 0.7% of GDP for overseas development aid, a central part of achieving the sustainable development goals. These were also matters that we referred to in the discussion with Prime Minister Modi.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

May I make a brief submission?

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am anxious to move on to the next question.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is an important point.

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy should be quick.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach mentioned, in response to my question on the nuclear issue, that India was anxious to be part of a new Missile Technology Control Regime. He also said that India is seeking membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to trade in civil nuclear technologies. These are very serious issues and there is a history there. Ireland, as a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, is one of the important countries in that and we get lobbied by India and other countries on these issues. I had an involvement in this and the original idea was that India would be exclusively on the civilian side. Perhaps the Taoiseach could write to me with further information on the background to the Missile Technology Control Regime, what is involved and the objectives that India has set itself in terms of wanting to be a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Perhaps he could also outline in a bit more detail what India is seeking and whether those issues were raised in the meeting between the Taoiseach and Prime Minister Modi.

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It was specifically on the enhancement of India's capacity to trade in civil nuclear technologies. I will send Deputy Martin a more detailed note on it.