Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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405. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the ongoing negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; if he had discussions on this issue during his recent visit to the US; his views that Irish interests in the agriculture sphere will be protected robustly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37748/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Since the formal negotiations between the European Union and the United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) began in July 2013, seven negotiating rounds have taken place.

The 7th round of the TTIP negotiations took place in the US from 29th September to 3rd October. This was the last round before the current European Commission ends its term on 30 October and the US midterm elections, scheduled for 4th November, take place. It is expected that the 8th round of the negotiations will be held in December, with dates yet to be confirmed.

During my visit to the US last week the importance of making progress on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership was one of a number of themes I stressed in my meetings with both business and official contacts. I emphasised Ireland’s continued strong support for an ambitious TTIP deal while also noting that we had certain concerns that needed to be addressed, particularly in Agriculture. It was the subject of particularly strong interest during my meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, demonstrating the great importance accorded to TTIP by US business.

The Government will continue to look for an agreement that is comprehensive and balanced and one that delivers real trade and economic potential for our economy. In this context we will continue to ensure that the agreement respects our broad trade interests including those in the broad Agriculture sector.