The Irish Times, 15 April 2025
Harry McGee, Emmet Malone
Cabinet will be asked to agree to faster ratification of controversial CETA deal with Canada
The Government will pursue new business opportunities in China, India, Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a rapidly-assembled plan to deal with the economic fallout from the Trump tariffs.
The new plan to reduce the reliance of Irish trade on the United States and diversify to new markets (including within the EU) will come before Cabinet on Tuesday, along with a proposal for a competitiveness plan that could have implications for employee conditions.
The joint memo from Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke sets out 15 immediate measures to improve competitiveness and open new market opportunities.
The most controversial of those will be a proposal to accelerate the drafting of legislation for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta) between Canada and the EU.