John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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84. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which Ireland is engaging at EU level to secure investment and trade opportunities that benefit rural regions; the steps being taken to ensure that areas like Cork north west can maximise the economic benefits of EU programmes and external trade agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65267/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has always been a strong advocate for securing new trade deals in order to maximise the potential to expand EU and Irish trading opportunities around the world.

As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade I will continue to pursue our Programme for Government commitment to support an ambitious EU trade agenda, promoting new trade deals, with proper assurances regarding sustainability, human rights and the protection of our agricultural sector.

Since the shift in US trade policy earlier this year, the global trading environment has fundamentally changed. As a small open economy, we are particularly vulnerable to these external developments. This new reality also brings into even sharper focus the imperative for Ireland and the EU to diversify our markets with new reliable, global partners. It is also important that our trade agreements are coherent in the standards we demand from trading partners.

That is why at the EU level Ireland is engaging with the European Commission to secure new and meaningful trade and investment opportunities. There are several active negotiations ongoing, including with partners in South East Asia such as Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as with India and Australia.

The two-way mutually beneficial nature of trade agreements will mean that they allow our indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs to take advantage of and expand into new markets, while at the same time creating the conditions to allow investment to flow into all regions of the country, thus creating jobs and supporting the local economy.

That is why trade deals are so important for Ireland and will be central mechanisms to further our economic growth in the coming years – including for our rural regions like Cork North West.