Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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310. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his position relating to Irish whiskey continuing to be included on the European Union list of GIs agreed with third countries in current and future free trade negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29908/15]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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311. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of European Union trade negotiations with Singapore and Vietnam; if Irish whiskey will be included on the list of protected GIs in both agreements, if concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29909/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 310 and 311 together.

Ireland has consistently and successfully sought to have Irish Whiskey included in lists of EU Geographical Indications proposed by the European Union in trade negotiations with third countries.

The negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore were completed on 17 October 2014 and the FTA entered the "legal scrubbing phase". However the approval process by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament has been put on hold pending the outcome of proceedings in the European Court of Justice on whether this is a mixed agreement or fully covered by Commission competence. In relation to GIs, the Singapore authorities have started a public consultation process about a small number of GIs. However Irish Whiskey is not among the GIs in question and I am confident that, when the agreement is finalised, Irish Whiskey will be included in the list of EU protected GIs.

Negotiations on an ambitious FTA between the EU and Vietnam are now at an advanced stage and the hope is to conclude by the end of 2015. The 14^thRound of negotiations is taking place this week. On the issue of beverages I am pleased to confirm that Irish Whiskey is included in the list of EU protected GIs for this agreement.