I must now deal with a postponed division relating to amendment No. 1 to the motion on trade and foreign direct investment, taken on Tuesday, 20 June 2017. On the question, "That the amendment to the motion be made", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 70(2) that division must be taken now.
Trade and Foreign Direct Investment: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]
The following motion was moved by Deputy Niall Collins on Tuesday, 20 June 2017:
“That Dáil Éireann:
notes:
— the pioneering and transformative vision, under the leadership of Seán Lemass, with the introduction of the First Programme for Economic Expansion and others who followed in radically opening the Irish economy to foreign direct investment, FDI, and trade;
— the over 300,000 persons employed in foreign multinational enterprises across Ireland, with 200,000 people working in Industrial Development Authority, IDA, Ireland supported companies and service industries;
— that European Union, EU, exports to the rest of the world support one in every four jobs in Ireland;
— the success in attracting FDI to Ireland over many decades with United States FDI outflows to Ireland accounting for over $31 billion in 2016; and
— the attraction and retention of Ireland’s 12.5% corporate tax rate to retain and grow our FDI jobs footprint;
recognises:
— the significant threat that Brexit poses for trade on the island of Ireland;
— that trade agreements benefit Ireland in terms of increased jobs, exports, and small and medium-sized enterprise business opportunities on the basis that as an exporting country Ireland stands to benefit disproportionately from the potential for expanded tariff-free market access;
— the independent study by Copenhagen Economics that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, would add 1.1% to gross domestic product in Ireland, increase Irish exports to the world by around 4% and create up to 10,000 jobs; and
— that free-trade agreements must ensure the maintenance of premier EU standards relating to consumer protection, food, health, environment, social and labour standards; and
calls for:
— Ireland to further endorse free-trade agreements to intensify employment and export growth opportunities;
— the removal of barriers to trade via fair and free trade agreements, predicated on ensuring that EU standards related to consumer protection, food, health, environment, social and labour standards remain untouched;
— the support and endorsement of an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, CETA, in order to open new markets and grow Irish jobs; and
— the expansion of diplomatic staff in Irish embassies and enterprise agency offices overseas.”
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:
“notes:
—the contribution small and medium-sized enterprises make to the Irish economy, employing over 919,985 people around the country;
—the importance foreign direct investment provides to the Irish economy;
—the success of the Industrial Development Authority, IDA., Ireland in attracting multinational companies to Ireland and in supporting 199,877 jobs here in 2016;
—the results of InterTradeIreland’s quarterly Business Monitor survey showing that in quarter one of 2017 98 per cent of firms have not made plans to deal with Brexit;
—that the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, CETA, is part of the so-called new generation of free trade agreements, along with the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, the Trade in Services Agreement, TiSA, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, TPP, that move far beyond the lowering of tariffs and aim primarily to remove ‘non-tariff barriers to trade’ by reaching regulatory coherence or harmonisation between parties;
—that the legal opinion of a senior counsel has pointed out that Irish ratification of a free trade agreement, that includes an Investor-State Dispute Settlement, ISDS, or Investment Court System, ICS), would:
—possibly infringe Article 15.2.1 of the Constitution of Ireland, which vests the sole power to make law in the Oireachtas;
—certainly infringe Article 34.1 of the Constitution of Ireland, which vests the power to dispense justice in the Irish domestic courts; and
—certainly infringe Article 34.3.2 of the Constitution of Ireland which makes the High Court, and appellate courts above it, the sole court in which a law may be questioned; and
—the ongoing European Union, EU, proposals to introduce greater harmonisation of corporation tax systems across the EU;
recognises:
—the threat that Brexit poses for trade on the island of Ireland;
—the extensive trade links between Northern Ireland and Ireland, with trade in goods valued at €1.65 billion, South to North, and €1.05 billion, North to South, in 2016;
—the decision of the electorate in Northern Ireland who voted to remain in the EU;
—the need for a special status designation for Northern Ireland, to protect jobs and trade across the island of Ireland;
—that free trade agreements ratified by Ireland must have the interests of citizens and workers at their core;
—that free trade agreements ratified by Ireland must not benefit large multinational corporations at the expense of indigenous businesses;
—that a comprehensive academic study, published in September 2016 by the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University, demonstrates that CETA will cause, inter alia, 200,000 job losses in the EU by 2023, significant wage compression, a decline in the labour share of income, a net loss of governments’ revenue, and net losses in gross domestic product of signature parties;
—that the Irish beef farming sector is particularly vulnerable to the effects of CETA including an influx of 50,000 tonnes of Canadian beef and 75,000 tonnes of pork entering the EU market, the impact of this influx on Irish beef producers will be exacerbated as a result of the Brexit vote due to the fact that Britain has been the largest importer of Canadian agri-produce and there has been no revision of quotas in response to the Brexit vote;
—that pursuant to Articles 34.2 and 34.3.2 of the Constitution of Ireland, a referendum of Irish citizens to change the Constitution of Ireland in relation to the subjection of the Irish State to an ICS is legally required; and
—that Seanad Éireann has voted to reject the provisional application of CETA, and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions as well as Irish environmental, public health, food safety and consumer rights organisations have called for the rejection of CETA and TTIP; and
calls for:
—a special status designation for Northern Ireland to protect jobs and trade across Ireland;
—more funding to be made available to IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland to help increase the level of business preparation for Brexit;
—the Government to withdraw from the provisional application of CETA;
—the Government to uphold Article 29.5.2 of the Constitution of Ireland, which states that the terms of any international agreement involving a charge upon public funds must have been approved by Dáil Éireann;
—the Government not to ratify CETA or any free trade agreement which includes the subjection of the Irish State to an ICS or ISDS mechanism;
—the holding of a referendum of the Irish people, in accordance with the legal requirements of the Constitution of Ireland, Articles 34.1 and 34.3.2, in relation to the subjection of the Irish State to the ICS included in CETA; and
—the rejection of EU proposals which undermine Irish tax sovereignty.”
- (Deputy Maurice Quinlivan)
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 33; Níl, 85; Staon, 5.
Tá
- Brady, John.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Michael.
- Connolly, Catherine.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Kenny, Martin.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- Martin, Catherine.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Nolan, Carol.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- O'Brien, Jonathan.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Sullivan, Maureen.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
Níl
- Aylward, Bobby.
- Breathnach, Declan.
- Breen, Pat.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Burke, Peter.
- Burton, Joan.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Jackie.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Casey, Pat.
- Cassells, Shane.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Collins, Niall.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Curran, John.
- Daly, Jim.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Donnelly, Stephen S.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flanagan, Charles.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Harris, Simon.
- Harty, Michael.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Kelleher, Billy.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Lowry, Michael.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McGrath, Finian.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
- Moran, Kevin Boxer.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
- Murphy, Eoghan.
- Murphy, Eugene.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Tom.
- Noonan, Michael.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connell, Kate.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Loughlin, Fiona.
- O'Rourke, Frank.
- O'Sullivan, Jan.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Ring, Michael.
- Rock, Noel.
- Ross, Shane.
- Ryan, Brendan.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
Staon
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Kenny, Gino.
- Smith, Bríd.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Maurice Quinlivan; Níl, Deputies John Lahart and Michael Moynihan.
Amendment declared lost.
Explanations under Standing Order 138(2A) as received from Members
Deputy Mick Barry and Deputy Ruth Coppinger abstained on this amendment as, while the motion includes points they agree with which are critical of the TTIP, TiSA, TTP and CETA trade agreements, it contains formulations that are uncritical of the European Union and the motion indicates support of the low corporation tax model.
Amendment No. 2 not moved.
Question put: "That the motion be agreed to."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 84; Níl, 45; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Aylward, Bobby.
- Bailey, Maria.
- Breathnach, Declan.
- Breen, Pat.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Jackie.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Casey, Pat.
- Cassells, Shane.
- Collins, Niall.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Curran, John.
- Daly, Jim.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Donnelly, Stephen S.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flanagan, Charles.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Harris, Simon.
- Harty, Michael.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Kelleher, Billy.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Lowry, Michael.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McGrath, Finian.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- McHugh, Joe.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
- Murphy, Eoghan.
- Murphy, Eugene.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Tom.
- Noonan, Michael.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connell, Kate.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Keeffe, Kevin.
- O'Loughlin, Fiona.
- O'Rourke, Frank.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Ring, Michael.
- Rock, Noel.
- Ross, Shane.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
Níl
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Burton, Joan.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Michael.
- Connolly, Catherine.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- Kenny, Martin.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- Martin, Catherine.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Nolan, Carol.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- O'Brien, Jonathan.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Sullivan, Jan.
- O'Sullivan, Maureen.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Ryan, Brendan.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Bríd.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies John Lahart and Michael Moynihan; Níl, Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Maurice Quinlivan.
Question declared carried.