A top EU official has pleaded with Ireland to ratify a trade deal with Canada.

Rupert Schlegelmilch, the European Commission’s director-general for trade, told an Oireachtas committee on Wednesday that Ireland has a “responsibility” to vote it through.

He said the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, is part of a “historic push ” to reform the global trading system.

“If the Irish parliament chooses to vote against CETA then I think we are certainly going to lose that part of our agenda,” he said. “This is the responsibility that you have, and this is why, I think, I plead in favour to convince you that the concerns that have been voiced can be addressed.”

The deal, which has been applied provisionally since 2017, is currently being scrutinised by the Oireachtas due to concerns about a new investor court system (ICS).

ICS has divided opinion, with critics afraid that it could lead to costly corporate lawsuits against the s tate and have a “chilling effect” on new climate, health, housing or tax law.

“I would understand if this was a trade agreement between Belarus and Myanmar… But in our country everyone is equal before the law,” said Green Senator Vincent P Martin.

Green TD Patrick Costello has also asked the High Court whether ICS requires a referendum.

The deal has passed in the European Parliament and 15 EU countries.