Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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205. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when Ireland will fully ratify the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26949/25]

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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257. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement; the progress made on the path to legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27339/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 257 together.

The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) remains provisionally applied, by the EU and Canada, as it has been since 21 September 2017.

As the process of national ratification across all Member States can take a number of years to complete, provisional application allows the areas for which the EU has exclusive competence to be applied provisionally pending entry into force, following approval by the Council and European Parliament.

This has allowed Irish companies take advantage of the beneficial terms of the Agreement and the new market opportunities it has provided including: the elimination of tariffs on almost all key exports, access to the Canadian public procurement market, the easing of regulatory barriers and more transparent rules for market access.

CETA covers virtually every aspect of economic activity and provides significant opportunities to help Irish based companies increase market and product diversification. Canada is a key export market, particularly for our indigenous exporters, with more than 400 Enterprise Ireland clients doing business in the Canadian market.

Following High Court proceedings and appeal to the Supreme Court, in November 2022, the Supreme Court ruled, by a 4 to 3 majority, that the Constitution of Ireland precludes the Government and Dáil Éireann from ratifying CETA as Irish law now stands. The Supreme Court also ruled by a 6-1 majority that CETA could be ratified by the Oireachtas if certain changes are made to domestic legislation (Arbitration Act 2010).

The ratification of CETA is a Programme for Government commitment. I am pleased to say that this week, I brought a Memorandum for Decision to Government to agree a draft scheme of a Bill to amend the Arbitration Act (2010). Drafting will now be taken forward and the Bill, if enacted by the Oireachtas, will facilitate the ratification of CETA.