James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This deal offers a great opportunity to Irish producers and small and medium enterprises to create more jobs. As a small, open economy, Ireland stands to gain a great deal from securing access to a large market such as Canada through the European Union. I have heard comments to the effect that companies in the United States will gain access the European Union through Canada. A large number of US firms already have access to the EU through Ireland and they provide very good, well-paid jobs. We rightly welcome and support these companies.

This deal will remove more than 99% of tariffs between the European Union and Canada and create major market access opportunities in services and investment. The Canadian market is much larger than the Irish market. The agreement will provide new freedoms to trade in goods and services, reducing barriers which small and medium enterprises find particularly difficult to overcome. It will facilitate the mutual recognition of qualifications in regulated professions such as architects, accountants and engineers. Ireland has many highly qualified professionals and we value their ability to go abroad, expand their horizons and learn new techniques before returning to make a contribution in this country. The removal of barriers in this area is, therefore, to be welcomed. Exchange of information is extremely important and training programmes and postgraduate opportunities should be valued and encouraged.

CETA will make transfers of company staff and other professionals between the European Union and Canada easier. As Senators are aware, moving to a new country with a family can be difficult and traumatic. The fewer the barriers to doing so, the better. CETA will improve the ability of European companies to provide after-sales services by making it easier for firms to export equipment, machinery and software. The agreement will provide EU companies with access to Canadian public tenders, not only at a federal level but also at provincial and municipal level.

The EU and Canada have agreed to accept each other's conformity assessment certificates in areas such as electrical goods, electronic and radio equipment, toys, machinery and measuring equipment. I see opportunities in all of this, rather than something to fear. While all opportunities present challenges, has this nation not excelled at turning challenge into opportunity?

CETA will be extremely beneficial to Ireland. The agreement gives us unlimited tariff-free access for most of our important food exports to the Canadian market. This is much more beneficial to Ireland than it is to Canada. Ireland also successfully campaigned for a low beef import quota from Canada to the European Union, which safeguards our important EU market for beef. Irish firms will also have increased access to Canadian public sector purchasing.

It is acknowledged that trade barriers tend to impose a disproportionate burden on small firms. The agreement is good for Irish small and medium enterprises and it must, therefore, be good for Irish jobs. Investment from foreign companies is extremely important in Ireland. These companies provide considerable investment and create many jobs. In Fingal, my local area, we experienced this at first hand only recently. CETA will mean many more companies will want to locate activities and create jobs in Ireland. In the past five years, developments in Ireland, in particular, the marriage referendum, have helped us to present an image of the country as inclusive and open, and an attractive place to live. Canada has acquired a similar reputation internationally.

As I stated, a great deal of misinformation has been circulated about the environmental impacts of CETA. Campaigners and others, including Senator Grace O'Sullivan a few moments ago, have argued that the agreement will allow for genetically modified organisms, GMOs, and beef containing growth hormones to be exported from Canada to Europe. This is simply not true. Canadian products of all sorts will only be allowed to be imported and sold in the European Union if they comply with EU regulations. I ask Senator O'Sullivan to be truthful. CETA does not affect European Union restrictions on hormone treated meat.