Two Oireachtas committees to examine CETA ahead of parliament ratification

At least two Oireachtas committees will begin separate examinations of the controversial Canadian-EU Trade Agreement (CETA) ahead of any decision by parliament to proceed with its ratification.

The all-party committee on European Affairs has already stated it will begin scrutiny of the agreement and has written to other committees to ascertain where they stood in relation to the matter. It is understood that the Committee on Enterprise and Trade also wants to commence an examination.

It comes as the Green Party TD who has taken a High Court action against CETA has offered to explain his decision to his parliamentary party colleagues.

The Dublin South Central TD Patrick Costello will meet with the party’s TDs and Senators on Thursday to set out the reasons why he has taken the unprecedented action. The agreement, especially the investment court system (designed to resolve dispute between private companies and European States over domestic laws that allegedly impinge on free competition) has led to prolonged and serious divisions with the Greens.

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The European Affairs Committee, under temporary chairman Brendan Howlin, discussed CETA at a private session on Tuesday afternoon.

Scoping exercise

The committee has commenced a scoping exercise which identifies the main questions for the committee. It is believed its scrutiny will focus on an overview of the agreement and how it got to this point; the status of ratification among the EU 27, as well as the investment court system.

The Committee is likely to seek expert advice on how CETA will impact not only on EU law but also on Irish jurisprudence.

Last week, to avoid duplication, Mr Howlin wrote to the chairs of other Oireachtas Committees asking if they were conducting their own examinations. So far only the Enterprise and Trade committee has indicated it intends to look into the agreement.

Mr Costello has said there was a “good case” that a referendum was needed in order to ratify CETA.

Tánaiste and Leo Varadkar said at a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting last week that Mr Costello’s challenge was more serious than voting against the Coalition in the Dáil.

The Government had intended to ratify CETA before Christmas but the vote was postponed amid internal opposition within the Green Party, which remains divided on the issue.