Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Commissioner Malmström, Ms Barbara Nolan from the EU Dublin office and Ms Nele Eichhorn, to our committee. I am delighted to have an opportunity to exchange views at this stage about one of the most important trade negotiations in the history of the European Union. It could benefit the overall European Union to the tune of €100 billion. Our concerns in Ireland are very evident and they have been referred to by the Commissioner. Our export trade is worth €10.5 billion per annum, with 7.2% of Ireland's economy, 12.3% of our exports and 8.8% of total employment, are all affected. We are particularly concerned about the hormone-fed beef in the United States of America. They use hormones to increase the size of the beef in the United States of America. They also feed them genetically modified food. We have the best food in the world and the best beef in the world. I come from an organic farm; my wife, Mary, is an organic farmer producing quality beef second to none in the world. We cannot put that in jeopardy for any agreement with the United States of America.

As Fianna Fáil representative I welcome the negotiations. I note that each state has a veto on this agreement in that it must be agreed unanimously by the 28 member states and, hopefully, it must be agreed by each parliament, as opposed to government. I would prefer if the Government, the Parliament, the Dáil and the Seanad, would have a vote in this regard because it is so vital to the interests of Ireland that we protect and ensure protection for the beef industry. I can guarantee that the Americans will flood Europe with cheap, hormone-fed beef, to the detriment of Ireland. That is why I am particularly concerned that this is at the top of the Commissioner's agenda.