Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputies Lyons, Lawlor and I met representatives of human rights NGOs with regard to the difficulties occurring in Colombia. There are major issues with access to land and resources. There is extreme poverty in the country and it is the most dangerous country in the world in which to be a trade unionist - hundreds and even thousands of trade unionists have been killed there. With the onset of this European free-trade agreement with Colombia, there have been mass uprisings among the people of Colombia, which have led to 70 deaths. I believe the trade committee dealt with in this COM is not sufficient in its oversight of human rights to be able to deal with the problems happening in Colombia. The committee has sent a letter to the Minister requesting a debate on the floor of the Dáil on the issue as soon as possible before the trade agreement is passed, or not, by the Oireachtas. Had we had the opportunity - again we do not - my view would be that this would be held back until there is a determination by the Oireachtas on the whole trade agreement itself.