Irish Independent – 11 January 2025
The Ireland Canada Business Association has written to the leaders of the political parties urging them to ratify the CETA trade agreement in the next Dáil.
A free-trade deal between the EU and Canada, CETA was signed in late 2016 and most of its terms came into effect provisionally the following year. The parliaments of the 27 member states have to ratify the deal, but Ireland’s never has.
Patrick Costello, who was a Green Party TD up to the last general election, brought a successful challenge against the deal to the Supreme Court in 2022. The court ruled that Ireland could not ratify it unless legal changes were made.
The Department of Enterprise told the Irish Independent before the general election that the government remained committed to the ratification of the trade deal, and said it was taking advice from the attorney general on what changes needed to be made.
“CETA continues to apply on a provisional basis allowing tariff-free trade between the EU and Canada,” it said. “With Ireland exporting over €6bn worth of goods and services to Canada in 2022, the tangible benefits of CETA are self-evident.”
The Ireland Canada Business Association has told the party leaders it represents firms that collectively employ over 15,000 people.
It said that in the year after the provisional implementation of CETA, there was a rise of more than 30pc in the value of goods traded between Ireland and Canada. The association points out that 17 member states have already ratified the deal, and urges the parties to do the same.
“Canadian companies have a major economic influence in this country with significant regional operations including SOTI in Galway, Greenfield Global in Laois, Optel Group in Limerick and eSentire in Cork,” the association said.
“There are over 75 Canadian companies operating in Ireland as it remains particularly attractive to high-growth Canadian tech companies that need to scale.
“More and more Canadian companies in scaling mode such as Rakuten Kobo, eSentire, Shopify and Press Reader have chosen Ireland to locate their European HQ.”
The association claims that ratification of CETA has become more important due to the prospect of more protectionist policies being pursued by the next US president.
Canadian politics are now in a state of flux too, following the announcement last Monday by prime minister Justin Trudeau that he is stepping aside from the post, and as the leader of the ruling Liberal Party.
The election to choose his successor is due to take place on March 9.
Mark Carney, a former governor of the Bank of England and an Irish citizen, is one of the favourites to succeed Mr Trudeau.