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

At the outset, I should state Vietnam is one of my most favoured countries. I am so impressed by it that I have not merely gone on official visits but also have spent four weeks on holidays in Vietnam north and south. They are the finest and most beautiful of people with the most beautiful food and the most fantastic production of seafood and fish farming. What is fascinating about Vietnam is it has transformed itself in such a short time after the most vicious war in history with the destruction of their forests and the killing of thousands upon thousands of people and that they have been so accommodating in reunifying the country. It is wonderful to hear that €22.1 billion worth of trade is coming out of Vietnam to Europe. They are a dynamic, extraordinarily hard-working people, as well as being beautiful, kind and gentle people and if this agreement goes some way towards improving their lot, I am more than happy to support it.

Obviously, there are some developmental issues that must be considered.

Someone has mentioned churches. I am aware that in Vietnam there are tribal districts that have not been incorporated or would allege discrimination against them. It is probably true. There has been some degree of frustration. The Vietnamese would argue that these people are engaged in the illegal logging and cutting of forests and that is why they are being pushed, but it is a large country with a large population. In the Ha Long Bay area, which is a UNESCO designated region, perhaps the officials, in dealing with Irish Aid there, might ask them to stop the banned practice of throwing dynamite in front of the boat where the fish all rise to the surface and they scoop them up. The use of dynamite was threatening the ecology of the area six years ago. Hopefully, that practice has stopped.

Finally, there is a side tragedy about the Vietnamese where we discovered to our shame and disappointment that Vietnamese were being trafficked to Ireland to open up so-called "grow houses" and be incarcerated in these houses in the most horrendous of working conditions. I would hope that Irish Aid would look at the source of this trafficking and, as I say, those tribal areas could be looked at with a view to aiding them out of predicaments.