Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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12. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his discussions with the new Canadian Prime Minister. [28979/25]

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach if he has had any engagement to date with the new Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney. [35275/25]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his discussions with the new Canadian Prime Minister. [35616/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his discussions with the new Canadian Prime Minister. [37508/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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16. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his discussions with the new Canadian Prime Minister. [38778/25]

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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17. To ask the Taoiseach if he has had any engagement to date with the new Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney. [39237/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 to 17, inclusive, together.

Ireland enjoys a deep and strong relationship with Canada, a country with which we share many values. Increasingly, that relationship has an economic focus.

In recent times, we have expanded our presence in Canada with consulates opened in Vancouver and Toronto in addition to our embassy in Ottawa. We also have a strong agency presence in Canada, including the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland. Ireland and Canada also have a collaborative relationship on many global issues, including working towards a peaceful resolution and a massive humanitarian response to the war in Gaza, and in supporting Ukraine.

I wrote to Prime Minister Carney to offer my congratulations on his election victory and said that I looked forward to co-operating with him and with his new Government in the period ahead. Like many Canadians, Prime Minister Carney has strong Irish heritage with family connections to Mayo and he has spoken of how important that heritage is to him. I am confident that our bilateral relations will continue to go from strength to strength throughout his tenure. I have not yet had the opportunity to meet the prime minister in person since he took up his new role but I look forward to doing so at the earliest possible opportunity.

I welcome the recent EU-Canada summit attended by Prime Minister Carney. It was a useful opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen the EU-Canada strategic partnership following political changes in Canada and the EU. The Canada-EU relationship, like the bilateral relationship between Canada and Ireland, is based on shared values, a long history of close co-operation and strong people-to-people ties. The summit’s theme of Enduring Partnership, Ambitious Agenda reflects the importance of the Canada-EU relationship at this juncture and Ireland welcomes the ambition of the joint statement for a new and comprehensive partnership across a range of thematic areas.

Furthermore, the Government is committed to ratifying the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, between the EU and Canada. This is clearly set out in our programme for Government. Since the agreement was provisionally applied in 2017, we have seen a significant increase in trade between our countries. Goods exports to Canada increased from €936 million in 2016 to more than €4.1 billion in 2024. Services exports grew from €1.44 billion in 2016 to more than €3.6 billion in 2023. Ratifying CETA is firmly in the interests of workers, taxpayers and businesses in rural and urban Ireland and I find it extraordinary that so many in this House have opposed its ratification to date. The global economy is changing in ways that are making trade with like-minded, stable and reliable partners like Canada more important than ever before. I look forward to further deepening relations with Canada in the period ahead.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I thank the Taoiseach for the update. I note the Taoiseach said there was ongoing engagement with Canada on seeking to work together to stop the brutal war in Gaza. Can the Taoiseach brief more on that and the steps that are ongoing with Canada on that?

How closely are the EU and Canada engaging on the tariff threat? We have seen Trump threatening Canada with a further 35% tariff despite the blanket 25% already there. We have seen Canada scrapping a proposed digital services tax apparently in order to appease Trump and yet that has not made a difference. How are the EU and Canada engaging at leadership level to respond to the US and its dominant position on services, particularly tech, and the tariff threat?

The Taoiseach referred to the Government's plan to ratify CETA. There are many people with real concerns about the investor court provisions in CETA and the prospect of the undermining of our own courts. Could the Taoiseach address that concern?

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Taoiseach's very warm welcome for the new Prime Minister of Canada. I am sure he will also join with me in welcoming the new Canadian ambassador to Ireland Dennis King and his wife Jana, who have just joined us. The Taoiseach's personal commitment to Canada over a long period is very welcome and I look forward to the Government implementing CETA. I understand the memo has been brought to Government but the Taoiseach might outline if it will be fully ratified by the end of this year. It needs to be remembered that over 15,000 people are employed by Canadian companies in Ireland, that over 6,000 people are employed by Irish companies in Canada and that Canada is Ireland's 12th largest trading partner. As the Taoiseach said, Ireland and Canada share so many values.

It surprises me in this House that those warm relationships we have with democratic countries that share our values are attacked so often and yet there are those on the Opposition benches who will never criticise countries like Russia, Iran or Venezuela - countries that certainly do not share our values. Trade is the lifeblood of this economy and having a global economy that has free and fair trade is essential to lift people out of poverty and provide people with employment.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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In June, Ursula von der Leyen agreed a new security and defence partnership between the EU and Canada, which is a member of NATO. This will enable Canada to engage in joint weapons procurement with European countries, including Ireland, those who have signed up to ReArm Europe and the so-called safe instrument. Von der Leyen and Canada announced that NATO remains the cornerstone of their defence and that, "Our aim will be to help deliver on our capability targets, including through our defence industries, more quickly and economically and with enhanced interoperability in ways that deliver mutual benefit and reinforce the European contribution to NATO." Would the Taoiseach agree that this new partnership between Ireland and Canada is part of what our President, Michael D. Higgins, described as a dangerous drift towards NATO that puts us behind the shadows of previous empires within the EU and that this flies in the face of the views of the vast majority of people in this country who want to retain neutrality and who follow James Connolly's line of neither king nor Kaiser? Today, that is neither Washington nor Brussels nor Bejing nor Moscow.

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Nor Moscow nor Tehran

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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Nor Moscow nor Tehran nor London. I have been against all of these imperialisms consistently. That was Connolly's position.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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The concerns regarding CETA concern the ISDS and the investor court system. Canada has significant investment in the fossil fuel industry in Ireland. I am interested in green energy and the opportunity for research, development and co-operation with Canada. Those are legitimate concerns that relate to Canada and they need to be addressed. What are the plans for co-operation with Canada in research, development and investment in green energy?

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Has the Taoiseach raised with the Canadian Prime Minister the ongoing support of Canada for Israel, which is very unfortunate, and Canada's commitment to spend 5% of GDP on arms and to participate in ReArm Europe?

Points have been made by a previous TD about democratic values that we share. TDs went and dined with the US ambassador while it is funding a genocide are lecturing the rest of us about democratic values but I have been on more marches for Woman, Life, Freedom in Iran, something that that Deputy could never go on because he struck a woman once and paid no price, so I would stay very quiet. I have also been on protests outside the embassy of the USSR, which is something that Deputy has never done. We hear a lot of lectures from people about democratic values. They never raise the values of the US, Canada and other nations.

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Since the signing of CETA in 2017, Ireland's exports to Canada have surged from €1.7 billion to €5.2 billion in 2024. However, there was a reduction of over 50% in quarter 1 of 2025. It is believed that much of that is due to pharma being diverted to the US ahead of impending tariffs. We are now looking at the new EU-Canada strategic partnership of the future and negotiations will start soon between Canada and the EU. I ask that strong consideration be given by the Government in those negotiations, and when speaking with the likes of Maroš Šefčovič, to looking specifically at pharma to Canada from Ireland.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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We know the scenario regarding Trump and his tariffs and we have significant fears. While the markets do not necessarily believe him at this stage, Canada has been set aside as one of those places where we are looking at trade missions and at increasing trade, which is sound. What elements of CETA are not in place at the moment other than the ISDS? The big fear there is that corporations will be able to take action against this State as it tries to introduce progressive legislation.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am amazed and somewhat shocked at the orientation and nature of the Opposition's presentations, particularly in terms of CETA.

Someone said these are legitimate questions about the investor courts. The investor courts were dealt with through the European court judgment and will be dealt with in terms of the legislation. All trade agreements have to have a mediating facility and mechanism. Deputy O'Rourke stated that these are legitimate concerns in the context of fossil fuels and so on, but not one of the Deputies opposite mentioned - Deputies Ó Cearúil and Byrne did - that there are 15,000 people employed by Canadian companies. Does that matter to them? It does not matter to any of them. This is almost economic illiteracy. That exports do not matter-----

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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You crashed the economy.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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What is not in play? What do you want out of this?

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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You brought the troika in.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----that we do not believe in free trade.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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We did not say that. We only asked half the questions, is that it?

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Order please.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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We only asked half the questions.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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You are saying it. Not one of you could say you will vote for CETA or will endorse CETA.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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We are against it.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, you are against it.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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We are against CETA, yes.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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You tell him.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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You are against something in the context of which trade from Ireland went up from €936 million in 2016 to €4.1 billion in 2024.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Explain the advantages.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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That has already happened.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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How could you be against that?

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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It brings in a parallel justices system for corporations.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Some of the Opposition purport to be in favour of workers. You could not care less about workers, Deputy Murphy. You could not care less about Irish workers. It is Irish workers who benefit from that level of exports. Indigenous companies and people working for multinationals also benefit. You just could not care less.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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You only care about corporations.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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You do not care about anything to do with the western hemisphere-----

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Can the Taoiseach just answer the questions he was asked?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----and that is your position. This is a fundamental point that has been raised time and time again. Those opposite say they are against this and against that. They do not believe in an enterprise economy, they do not believe in free trade and they do not really believe in workers' opportunity to develop and grow within their employments under the model we have here. That is a very serious issue in terms of this consistency over eight or nine years.

It is provisionally in operation, Deputy Ó Murchú, but it is not legislated for. We have to ratify it. We do so, given the fact we are a small, open economy whose workers depend on trade. We manufacture so many goods that are meant for export because we could not consume them in a small island like Ireland. What is the Opposition at in the context of its economic and trade policies? With tariffs coming from the US, of course we should embrace a Canadian-European Union trade agreement and economic partnership. Ireland has a strong economic partnership with Canada, and we should not apologise for that. Canada is not going to be perfect. We are not perfect. Canada will have aspects to its policy it has developed over the years that we may not agree with. Overall, however, it has been a benign, friendly country. There are huge Irish roots and heritage there.

There is a disconnect in this house between what puts bread and butter on the tables of Irish people and the Opposition's hang-ups about investor courts and this, that and the other. It is a completely disproportionate, illogical approach that the Opposition takes. Not one of the Deputies from Labour, Aontú or any other party could say that they will support the CETA legislation. I find that extraordinary.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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I find it extraordinary that you support it.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Get rid of the ISDS. It is out of most trade agreements.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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There is a little over one minute left.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Other issues were raised. To Deputy Ó Cearúil, we will embrace the strategic partnership. We have our position of military neutrality. I do not know whether it was Deputy Murphy or Deputy Coppinger who suggested our relationship with Canada was about militarisation, armaments and so on-----

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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The EU and Canada have a security agreement.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----but it most certainly is not. Other EU member states are entitled to have their positions on defence.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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We are part of the EU.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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We are.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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Yes.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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We are not part of NATO.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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No, we are part of-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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If you talk-----

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The time is almost concluded on this.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----to people from Lithuania and Latvia, they have very legitimate existential concerns given their countries' long histories with Russia and the manner in which Russia treated them. Time and time again, it invaded those countries and violated their integrity. If the Deputy was living in Lithuania, he might have a different perspective to the one he has now.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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You could say that about a lot of places.