Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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479. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied with the level of input by his Department to the proposed Irish ratification of the EU free trade agreement with Colombia and Peru; the degree to which his Department has been consulted in formulating the Government position; the extent to which he believes the ratification complies with the One World, One Future document signed off by the Cabinet in May last year which commits the Government to greater coherence across Government policy in support of development objectives; if he will support further debate in Dáil Éireann on the issue before deciding to ratify the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36830/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Free Trade agreement between the European Union and its member states on the one part and the Republic of Colombia and the Republic of Peru on the other is an agreement within the meaning of Article 29.5.2° of the Constitution. Ratification by Ireland is therefore subject to prior approval of the Dáil. My colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton T.D. has previously informed the House that it is his intention to seek the necessary approval of Dáil Éireann during the course of this year in respect of the EU-Colombia and Peru Free Trade Agreement.

As with all trade and investment agreements between the EU and third countries, my Department has worked closely with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation from the beginning of the process of negotiations between the EU and Colombia and Peru on this agreement right through to the ratification phase. This work has included close coordination between the officials of the two Departments to promote and support the inclusion of provisions in the agreements to reflect the importance of human rights, in particular labour and environmental rights and sustainable development.

Since the signing of the agreement and the entry into force of the EU-Colombia element in August 2013, officials from both Departments and from Ireland’s Embassy in Mexico, which is accredited to Colombia, have maintained an ongoing dialogue regarding progress made in implementing the Agreement, including in relation to the provisions on labour and environmental rights and on mechanisms for dialogue with civil society.

As Deputy Nolan notes, policy coherence in support of global development objectives is a cornerstone of Ireland’s foreign policy and one to which this government is strongly committed. I am satisfied that the close cooperation between both Departments on the EU-Colombia and Peru Free Trade Agreement is a good example of whole-of-government coherence in supporting Ireland’s development and foreign policy objectives and my officials will continue to work together with their counterparts in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation as the ratification process is progressed. The organisation of Dáil business is a matter for the whips.