Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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909. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when she will initiate a debate on the agreed text of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement; if Dáil Éireann will be given the opportunity to vote on the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22908/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss the benefits of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada. Over the past few months I have answered a number of parliamentary questions on the matter, which shows the interest of the House in exploring many of the issues that had to be addressed during negotiations to ensure the best agreement for our businesses, employees, farmers and consumers.

It will be a matter for the Council and the European Parliament to decide on the conclusion, signature and provisional application of CETA. Following a decision by the Council with the consent of the Parliament, it will be possible to provisionally apply CETA. Its full entering into force will be subject to the conclusion by the EU, through a Council decision with the consent of the Parliament, and by all Member States through the relevant national ratification procedures. This means that the Oireachtas will be part of the final decision to ratify the agreement.