Fresh push for EU-US trade deal

EU ministers unanimously agreed to make a fresh push for an EU-US trade deal despite huge differences over a mechanism to allow firms fend off new laws that they believe would militate against them.

Richard Bruton, the trade minister, was among those arguing for a comprehensive deal and said he believed the chances of concluding one were good, with a shift in the US congress towards the Republican party.

Ireland, he said, would benefit more than most other EU countries because of the large number of US multinationals, adding 1.1% to GDP and creating an extra 8,000 jobs. He sought to allay food industry fears, pointing to the recent agreement with Canada that has opened up their dairy and beef markets to Irish farmers.