Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. He did not answer my question about the ISDS mechanism in the ECT. Does the Government support the removal of that system? Even if it excluded fossil fuels, is it right that investors have that power over states? We do not know what the future holds in terms of hydrogen or renewables. In fact, RWE, which is a renewable energy generator in Ireland, is riding two horses at the moment because it is one of the organisations taking a case against the Dutch.

It is also interesting the Minister of State mentioned the 20-year sunset clause when the Government is looking to sign us up to CETA which also comes with a 20-year sunset clause. These are nefarious aspects of trade agreements and I do not think the Irish public would like to know that we are signing ourselves up to things we cannot remove ourselves from for 20 years.

Regarding reform, the ECT is irreformable because it has a veto. The decisions taken to reform have to be unanimous. Japan has already ruled out any reform. Surely the Irish State should now join the French and Spanish and say that we need to pull out as a bloc.