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

I will go back to where I was, if I can remember. I was telling the Commissioner about a vote today in the Dáil. These economic partnership agreements are interesting. Previously, we have had Eastern Partnership agreements with Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia.

There are dissenting voices in the national parliaments. There are eurosceptics in our national Parliament. Some people argue strongly against TTIP. Is the Commissioner satisfied that under the new regime the argument about more openness in the negotiations is being fulfilled? More important still is the timing. Will the Commissioner offer his opinion on when he believes the agreement will be completed? Does he believe the European project is doing enough to allow the citizenry to understand the nature of these trade agreements? Is enough money and propaganda being put into the positive nature of them? Many NGOs, ultra-leftists, Trotskyites, anarchists, communists and republicans are arguing against the role of Europe in expanding its trade links across various regions.

Let us consider the proposed programme from the Commission. The committee has already debated in great depth and detail a British exit from the EU. Can the Commissioner offer a view in the light of Mr. Cameron's letter? We have seen it spelt out clearly - we heard the points expanded upon clearly yesterday - what Britain is trying to achieve in negotiations with the European Commission. There is a logical position in all these programmes listed for us. Many of them are in conflict with the case the British are now arguing. For example, they argue a case on the basis of the euro region versus the sterling area and the other nine countries outside the euro currency. They maintain sovereignty is important to them. They make a case on the basis of defence and intelligence policy as well. They argue negatively about the free movement of people within Europe. Whatever about non-Europeans coming into Europe, they have an extraordinarily strong and possibly dangerous argument to the effect that they should be allowed to discriminate against Europeans. It seems the argument is that economic migrants from Europe should not be allowed in, but there is a different position for those providing potential jobs and skills that are in short supply.

In a nutshell, can the Commissioner explain to the committee how he believes the British position now being negotiated will conflict with how the Commission proposes to overcome the difficulties on the various issues, such as the completion of banking union?