Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position of the Government regarding a potential EU-Cuba pact especially following the visit of President Michael D. Higgins with Cuban President Raúl Castro; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9151/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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In the margins of the Foreign affairs Council on 12 December 2016 I joined my fellow EU foreign ministers and the Cuban Minister for Foreign Affairs in signing the EU-Cuba Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation. This is the first such agreement between the EU and Cuba. Its signature marks a further positive step forward in relations between Cuba and the EU, which have improved considerably in recent years. The agreement is robust and comprehensive, consisting of three main pillars, namely Political Dialogue, Cooperation and Sector Policy Dialogue, and Trade and Trade Cooperation. The core aim of the agreement is to open channels of dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Cuba in order to assist the modernisation of the Cuban economy and society, strengthen human rights and democracy, and work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The President’s visit was the first by an EU Head of State to Cuba since the signing of the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) in December 2016. The visit was historic in that it was also the first by a serving President of Ireland to Cuba. A Memorandum of Cooperation between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Cuba was signed during the Presidential visit by David Stanton TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration. I warmly welcome the signature of this agreement, the core aim of which is to open the channels of dialogue and cooperation between Ireland and Cuba, particularly in trade and cultural engagement.

My view is that the enhanced relationship between the EU and Cuba as supported by the EU-Cuba PDCA, along with the signature of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Ireland and Cuba last week, together provide a solid framework and welcome opportunity to strengthen Ireland’s bilateral relations with Cuba. This strengthening of the bilateral relationship was further cemented by the historic visit of President Higgins to Cuba. I look forward to continued positive developments in the period ahead.