2026-02-05

64. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which she is developing our links with Canada; if her Department is providing to a school (details supplied) to support this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8288/26]

I ask for an update on how the Department is developing links with Canada and I request that it provide support for the Thomas D'Arcy McGee summer school in Louth as a way to support this important link

I am grateful to the Deputy not only for raising this issue but also for her consistent advocacy for stronger Irish-Canadian relations in her role as convener of the Canada-Ireland Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group. As the Deputy knows, Ireland and Canada have cultivated strong political, economic and cultural connections, grounded in our shared history, values and commitment to a rules-based international order. Under the Global Ireland programme, Ireland significantly expanded its diplomatic presence in Canada opening new consulates generals in Vancouver in 2018 and in Toronto in 2022 complementing Ireland's trade promotion agencies in Canada. Plans for a new Ireland House in Toronto are under way while a new embassy chancery in Ottawa was opened by the Taoiseach during his visit in September 2025 where he met the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Taoiseach has invited the Prime Minister to Ireland noting that three of his grandparents are Irish. The Government intends to fully ratify the EU-Canada Comprehensive and Trade and Agreement, CETA, in the coming months to build on our strong trading relationship with Canada. Since the provisional application of CETA in 2017, trade in Irish good and services with Canada has increased from about €3.2 billion in 2016 to more than €10 billion in 2023. Last November, the Minister for enterprise Deputy Burke, led a trade mission to Canada with representatives from 31 Irish companies. Just last week, the Minister for the arts, Deputy O'Donovan, led a creative industries trade mission to Canada to meet with cultural, sporting and educational leaders. In addition, last week, the Minister for further and higher education, Deputy Lawless, launched the de Chastelian scholarships. This is a new programme that is jointly funded by the Irish and Canadian Governments. I visited Toronto in September. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy McEntee, is aware of the good work done by the Thomas D'Arcy McGee summer school. As I mentioned at the outset, I addressed this two years ago. I understand that a number of public bodies provide funding and a number of former civil servants from my Department have spoken at the school in recent years. We could not be more supportive of the work of the summer school. It is a wonderful initiative.

The Minister of State was very welcome to Carlingford on that fateful day in late August a couple of years ago. I wish to highlight the extraordinary cultural and historical bridge that is between Ireland and Canada through the legacy of Thomas D'Arcy McGee. He was born in Carlingford, County Louth in 1825. He was later the father of the Canadian Confederation. His life embodies those shared democratic values, and the people-to-people links between our nations. The annual Thomas D'Arcy McGee event is very well supported by the Department. The Minister of State, many other officials and former officials of the Department have attended. It brings together academics and policymakers from Ireland, Northern Ireland and Canada to examine modern challenges through a lens of McGee's legacy and evolution into a pluralist democracy. The Minister of State said that we can support this, but he can do one more little thing with financial support. Public bodies support it but every year that funding is decreasing for numerous different reasons. There are a lot of pulls on the money of other organisations. Considering the huge efforts that the Government and the Canadian Government are putting in together to support those links, a cash funding would be a great way of supporting the summer school.

From a Department point of view, most of our spending in relation to strengthening ties with Canada happens within Canada. This is not just from the direct diplomatic missions, including in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa, but also with a range of groups that promote Irish culture and heritage and work with the Irish communities across the broad expanse of Canada. In relation to funding in country and the opportunity for the Thomas D'Arcy McGee summer school, there is a range of possibilities through general funding, particularly shared island funding, given the significance of this as a North-South project. I am more than happy to work with the Deputy to identify those. It might not necessarily come under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but that does not mean that we cannot lean on agencies or partners, be they public or private. It must be remembered how complex a character Thomas D'Arcy McGee was. Looking at that complexity, it is noteworthy in itself for a range of people from across this island to see how that diversity and complexity transfers from Ireland to a country like Canada.

We should have a debate about Thomas D'Arcy McGee in this House. As the Minister of State said, there are a lot of learnings to be taken from the complexities of his life from leaving Ireland as a Fenian to being shot on the steps of the Canadian House of Commons by the Fenians. There is a huge circle there. His legacy is hugely celebrated in Canada. As a son of Carlingford, it is important that we celebrate him too. He created the modern Canada. His spirit and legacy can also help create the future united Ireland that we all want.

One of the key strands to the Government's approach to Canada is promoting those cultural and historically links. That will not only be reflected in the new Global Ireland diaspora strategy that I look forward to launching at the end of April, but also in our commitment to working with our Canadian counterparts and using CETA not just for economic enhancement but looking where the real cultural and shared values are on a global scale. I find myself regularly at meetings of the United Nations' bodies, the G20 or otherwise. It is the Canadian Minister I always seek out to see what their interaction and intervention are going to be like. Enshrining that by support of the very famous Thomas D'Arcy McGee summer school in a no more appropriate and no more beautiful location as Carlingford would be absolutely appropriate. Whatever we can do to work with the Deputy in her role as convener of the friendship group to make sure that adequate support is provided, I undertake to do that with her fully and enthusiastically.

I appreciate that.

Before I go to the next question, I welcome those in the Public Gallery, particularly the guests of Deputy Newsome Drennan. I do not know if the Deputies have noticed but over the past few minutes they have been jumping up and down frantically waving to try to attract their attention. They are all very welcome and I hope they enjoy their day with the Deputy.