Trade Relations
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-26
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Helen McEntee (FG), Meath East

Everything we do is interconnected. Any of us who travelled in the past week or so, or indeed anyone who has been on any of the visits we make as parliamentarians, will have seen that our economic interests are supported by our cultural ties and what is happening in other regions and other parts of the world. All of this can have a significant impact on the quality of life citizens have here. While there is huge instability in the world, knowing the impacts it can have on our economy and people's quality of life, we need to make sure we can control the controllables and take away some of that uncertainty businesses and communities are feeling. That is what the trade forum is about and it is why I chair it every six or eight weeks. It is why our focus and one of key priorities during the EU Presidency will be competitiveness. It is about that simplification agenda and looking to see how we can further strengthen the Single Market and break down barriers within the EU and seek more trade deals. I have mentioned that at least four are in the pipeline and that will hugely benefit our economies. Beyond that, whether it is China, India or other sectors we have not explored in the way we should, there are huge opportunities for business and citizens and communities because of that.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-26