Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his attendance and I thank the Chairman for starting the debate. We have heard something about the TTIP, transatlantic trade and investment partnership and it helps to study the briefing documentation. I have done my best to analyse it. If I was naive I would wonder why this project is not being fast-tracked because I am reading that it will be of great benefit to the country and to Europe. It would be an excellent political slogan to be able to say to electors that the benefit for supporting it would be €545 in disposable income for each family of four in the EU. There are many other attractions presented to us. These enthusiastic figures show income gains as a result of increased EU trade and an increase in European exports to the United States by 28%, the equivalent of an additional €187 billion worth of exports to America. These are very compelling statistics which seem to be based on the Centre for Economic Policy Research in London. We are an independent entity within Europe. Has the Minister's Department analysed those findings of the Centre for Economic Policy Research with a view to confirming the veracity or otherwise of the glowing statements about the benefits of signing the agreement? We are told that the programme will protect the health, environment and consumer protection rights of Europeans and that these will not be diluted in any way by virtue of this agreement.

The Irish Medicines Board has an American equivalent. The pharmaceutical industry in this country must undergo stringent analysis and examination of the methodologies they use. Companies located here who export to America are subject to intensive scrutiny to find flaws. If the Irish Medicines Board wants to maintain our high standards and the TTIP is a project negotiated by the EU, what is our position as an independent nation within the 28 member states when it comes to the standards of other European countries? It is argued that the Irish Medicines Board is one of the most stringent regulators in the field. If our standards are very high compared with, for instance, Lithuania or Estonia or some other European country, what is the red line that the European Commission is adopting on standards? Will Ireland as a nation state be required to lower its standards in order to find the average within Europe?