2026-04-15

1. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to China. [1549/26]

2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to China. [1552/26]

3. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to China. [14276/26]

4. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach to report on his visit to China on 4 to 8 January 2026. [14277/26]

5. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to China. [14464/26]

6. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to China. [18161/26]

7. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to China. [18508/26]

8. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to China. [22078/26]

9. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to China. [23833/26]

10. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to China. [24951/26]

11. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to China. [26748/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 11, inclusive, together. I travelled to Beijing and Shanghai in early January, the first official visit by a Taoiseach since 2012. While there, I met with key political figures and Chinese leaders in a variety of fields, including business, tourism and education, with the aim of strengthening our political, economic and cultural links. Ireland’s economic and trading relationship with China is informed by our support for accelerating the market diversification agenda as a means to encourage competitiveness and resilience. The latest available data from 2024 shows that Ireland's goods exports to China were valued at €10 billion and goods imports at €11.8 billion. Services exports to China in 2024 are valued at €12.7 billion and services imports €4.7 billion. My programme in Beijing included meetings with Chinese President, Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Chairman of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji. In my bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping, we discussed the strong political, economic and cultural relationships between Ireland and China. We discussed EU-China relations, particularly our trade relationship and Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the EU in the second half of this year. We agreed the importance of international rules and open dialogue, as well as constructive and predictable relations on trade. We also discussed global issues and conflicts, including in Ukraine and the Middle East. I also had a bilateral meeting and a working dinner with Premier Li Qiang, during which we discussed ways to improve collaboration between Ireland and China through our membership of multilateral organisations. I stressed the importance of a strong multilateral system to promote peace and security and to ensure a fair global trading environment. We also discussed political, economic and bilateral relations, including exploring the potential for increased collaboration in areas such as education, tourism and culture. In all of my meetings, I raised a number of human rights issues, including Jimmy Lai’s sentencing, the situation of minorities in Xinjiang, and the human rights situation in Tibet. My meeting with the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, was similarly positive. While in Shanghai, I met with Mayor Gong Zheng, discussing economic developments in the region and links between Cork and Shanghai, which recently celebrated 20 years of being twinned. We also explored the potential for further co-operation between Ireland and China in a range of areas, including connectivity and transport. While in China, I also had meetings with state agency clients in the tourism, research and innovation, pharmaceutical, and food and beverages sectors. I attended an education showcase where several partnership agreements between Irish and Chinese higher education institutions were signed. These agreements will expand our education collaboration with China, benefiting both Irish and Chinese students. My visit was an important opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relations with China, and I hope these will be built on in the coming period.

The Chinese regime has condemned Trump and Israel's bloody war against Iran as irresponsible, reckless and dangerous. That is something coming from that regime. Deputy Geoghegan was talking about zero tolerance against blockades. China has that. For example, in 1989, when students blockaded and demanded democracy, it sent the tanks in. It sent the army in and mowed students down with tanks. It persecutes people in Hong Kong fighting for democracy, people in Tibet, the Uyghurs, the Falun Gong. You name it, they get crushed in China. I would be interested to know what China had to say about its human rights record, but frankly it looks like a pussycat compared to threats to destroy civilisations coming from Donald Trump and what Israel is doing in Lebanon. I have just come from a protest outside for Lelia Doolan coming from Shannon on her march, a woman in her 90s marching saying the Irish Government should not be facilitating Trump's warmongering by allowing the US military through Shannon Airport. Given what Trump is doing to people in this country, in the Middle East and in Palestine, does the Taoiseach agree with Lelia Doolan?

The backdrop to the wars, the genocides and the interventions we have seen over the past number of years is the rivalry between the declining power of the US and the emerging power of China. That is the context in which the Government has tried very vigorously to draw Ireland more and more openly into the US-led NATO camp. We can see now in terms of the war crimes being committed in Iran what that means. It is why the vast majority of people defend our neutrality, want to protect our triple lock and do not want to see us involved in US-led wars. It is why people will be on the streets at 1 o'clock on Saturday demanding the protection of our neutrality. The rubber hits the road when it comes to the question of Shannon Airport. The Taoiseach said, when he was in the US, that there was no strong evidence that Trump was using Shannon Airport to pursue the war in Iran. What does he mean by that? Has he inspected any of the planes? Has he evidence? Every single day, there are US military plans going through Shannon. Where does the Taoiseach think they are going? They may not be going directly to Iran. They are going to the Ramstein air base in Germany and then on from there into the Middle East. It is time to follow the example of other European countries, some of which are even NATO members, and stop allowing the US to use our airports.

Deputy Mark Daly.

I welcome-----

Apologies, Deputy Martin Daly.

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle. He is a good man. I welcome the Taoiseach's visit to China. It is an extremely important visit strategically and economically for Ireland in an increasingly uncertain international climate. It is absolutely clear that there are, as has been pointed out, two superpowers in this world at the moment but that the European Union and other like-minded trading nations need to keep their options open and develop new trade and new ties based on international rules of trade and politics. It is clear that, as a small trading nation, we must keep our options open at all times and develop new markets for our industries that we grow here. In addition to that, with the growth of more indigenous industries we need to create links to China, which is a huge market. I am also happy the Taoiseach has taken the opportunity to point out the deficiency in human rights in China because that is extremely important and something that would be expected by the Irish people of our Taoiseach in visiting China.

The Taoiseach said he had conversations in relation to multilateralism and, obviously, questions in relation to economics. I understand this was very early on in January and, with Donald Trump's regime, we are not entirely sure what the future holds other than it goes from terrible to even worse. We have since had an illegal war with Iran, we have the fact that the Israelis are continuing with their genocide in Palestine and what they are doing in Lebanon is utterly unacceptable in any way, shape or form. Many of us were outside the gates of Leinster House with Lelia Doolan and would commend her for what she has done. I would like to think I will make it to 91 years of age and still be fit to do half of what she is doing. She has to be commended. It is about how there has never been more need for us to maintain international law and an independent foreign policy. That is why people will be on the streets with the Irish Neutrality League on Saturday. It is a matter of us not falling into the issues that exist now in this age of empires and where might is right. We must do our part to stand against that, given our history of anti-colonialism.

It is often said that in the past century the global economy has lifted billions of people out of poverty. China's economic prosperity was responsible for more than 60% of that figure and it has been based on very different models to the ones we have here in Europe. While, of course, we must condemn human rights abuses in China, it is also true that China now has more renewable energy than Europe, is a leader in electric vehicles and has built more homes for its people. The question of energy security is of particular interest, given the current geopolitical instability. China has managed to insulate itself relative to the EU and others. Did the Taoiseach's recent visit to China cause any reflection on the improvements to energy policy we might see here in Ireland, particularly in terms of developing renewables as our best chance of securing a domestic supply, insulating ourselves in a similar way and for how the State can be more actively involved, as is the case in China?

I would like to ask the Taoiseach about the consistency of his approach to world leaders and dictators. While the Taoiseach was in China, which was some time ago, the attack on Venezuela took place. The Taoiseach condemned the terrible regime in Venezuela while he was actually in China, which I did think was somewhat ironic. China is not a democracy and there is severe repression. The Taoiseach mentioned the solicitor representing Jimmy Lai being targeted. Were Irish journalists who were part of the Taoiseach's delegation prevented from filming while he was there? Is that the case? This is an example of the Taoiseach staying silent on human rights issues when he is in front of global powers, as he did with Trump. Would the Taoiseach agree that, when comparing world leaders, the most dangerous leader in the world right now is clearly the US leader? The psychopathic tendencies in Trump have accelerated since the Taoiseach visited on St. Patrick's Day and the dangers for the world are just incredibly pronounced.

I thank all the Members for their comments. With respect to Deputy Boyd Barrett and others, in terms of the human rights issues, we do raise them. China has no issue with foreign leaders raising human rights issues. Deputy Martin Daly emphasised the importance of raising them. However, one gets a robust response. They defend their position on the Jimmy Lai case. It was quite a lengthy conversation with the Premier in respect of that case and in respect of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang. They invited us to go down, which they do with all ambassadors in particular. It is my understanding that our ambassador was going to go down. Some ask if one can have freedom to move around and so on. However, our ambassador indicated to me that he would go down in terms of having an assessment of the situation as best one can given that it is, as Deputy Hayes said, a different model in terms of how it works as a society and as a system. We have expressed very strong concerns. I asked that he be released, even on humanitarian grounds, given his age and so on but there was quite a robust response, to be honest, and they defended it strongly. Our embassy is following that very strongly. We have a consulate general in Hong Kong. We also raised the issue of Tibet. We do that at the UN, in our work with the European Union and so on. In terms of our relationships globally, we have a twin-track approach essentially. That is a values approach, a multilateralism approach and also looking at interests. Ireland cannot resolve every system in the world. It cannot fix every system. We have to engage and we have to have dialogue. A lot of the dialogue was positive. There are huge issues between Europe and China in respect of manufacturing. Europe feels that there is a lot of excess manufacturing in China that is being dumped in Europe and that the renminbi is devalued and so on. These are ongoing issues. It was interesting that President Xi was anxious that Europe and China would develop a better relationship on trade that would be less susceptible to a ping-pong battle on given sectors, for example, critical rare earth metals and things like that, which could become a choke point for European industry. It is extremely important economically that we have these engagements because there is an interdependence between countries all over the world. It is true that there is greater polarisation happening with the growth of both the US and China. It is very important that the US and China get on for world stability. The world is in a very difficult space right now. In terms of Lelia Doolan, who Deputy Bacik raised earlier, I admire her and pay tribute to her commitment to her views and her cause. I do caution Deputies Boyd Barrett and Murphy about this mis-characterisation of Shannon Airport. It is not a military base.

Would you stop.

It is not a military base. If you want to see a military base go to Spain, go to Italy, go to Germany. We need to be accurate with our commentary. This kind of denigration of Shannon Airport will damage Shannon Airport, will damage the economy of Shannon and will damage jobs in Shannon Airport. Charter planes are used to bring soldiers home or whatever.

Just home, is it?

There is no US military base in Shannon Airport. It is wrong to characterise it as such. Go and look at what a military base is - structure, logistics and everything. That is not what Shannon Airport is.

Not officially.

I think we need a small bit of cop on in respect of it. That is my view on it. Deputies may disagree and they are entitled to disagree. Again, we are committed to military neutrality. We are not joining any military alliance. Deputy Murphy is wrong in endeavouring to use the triple lock amendments. I do not believe Russia should have a veto on whether we involve ourselves in a peacekeeping operation or not. I do not believe the United States should have a veto. I do not believe China should have a veto on whether or not we participate on peacekeeping missions. I think the Dáil, the Oireachtas and the Government of the day should, because it is utterly ridiculous otherwise. The problem is that the UN Security Council is paralysed. It is not functioning. It is dysfunctional. That is a big problem for the world, but that is the reality of it. In terms of peacekeeping, we should have greater freedom. That is all we are saying. We are not getting involved in any wars.

Sure they are using Shannon Airport for a war right now.

I am sorry, but we are not.

Deputy Murphy, please.

Look, it is so dishonest to say-----

We are involved right now.

This is not the forum for a back-and-forth discussion.

We are not involved in any war right now.

Of course we are. They are using our airport and our airspace.

They are not using our airport for the war. They are not using it for the war.

Taoiseach, there are other Members to speak.

How do you know that?

Deputy Murphy, this is not the forum.

I just want to make one important point. Deputy Martin Daly referred to us being a small trading nation. We need to export what we produce and make. I gave the figures earlier. What was interesting was that I spoke to Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday. In the context of there being polarisation between two major powers, China and the US, there is now a growing movement from the European Union, Canada, Australia and other like-minded powers with similar values, rooted in multilateralism, to come closer together. I welcome Canada's pivot to Europe. Under our Presidency, we are going to advance that relationship with Canada and the European Union. That is why Deputies in the House should vote for the CETA trade deal, which will create additional jobs for Irish people. It has already created additional jobs for Irish people, and there has been about a 30% increase in exports for Irish companies. It beggars belief that people oppose it. I apologise, but I did not get Deputy Ó Murchú in. The war must end. The sooner that war in the Middle East ends, the better. What is happening in Lebanon is appalling. I welcome the talks, by the way, but Israel is undermining the Lebanese Government, which is the first government in a long time in Lebanon that has the capacity to get some order and structure in Lebanese society and the Lebanese economy. Hezbollah should cease firing rockets. It should stop. It is causing immense damage to its own people and has done so for far too long. Iran should stay out of Lebanon and stop being a malign force in Lebanon also. In terms of the economy, the relationship and air connectivity, a Cork-Shanghai flight is, hopefully, coming. There is also the Dublin–Beijing flight and so on like that.

Did the Taoiseach cover the question from Deputy Hayes? I am not sure he did.

I covered a lot of people. I am sorry but I did not cover Deputy Hayes’s point about renewable energy. We did actually discuss that with President Xi. They are very conscious of our offshore wind exploration and that we are putting a lot of focus into the offshore and onshore aspects. China manufactures wind turbines at an extraordinary rate. It more or less commands the global market in solar panels. If we can get good multilateral relationships, there will be a benefit. There was a time when people felt we would not have enough supply and the supply chains would not be strong or resilient enough to deal with everybody going after offshore energy at the one time. China actually offers a bit of a solution to that, I think. Some in Europe are negative about that, but I think it does do because it manufactures a sufficiency of material for windmills and solar equipment that can help us make the energy transition.