Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the presentation. Generally speaking, I am very much in favour of trade agreements as benefiting both sides but, as Deputy Crowe mentioned, every time a trade agreement comes to light or is about to be ratified we get complaints from some sectors of society saying that these are unfair to undeveloped countries that lack our sophistication in negotiations and that large countries, such as the EU and the United States, flood markets and destroy indigenous sectors. There is a good economic answer to such assertions, that they should not be doing that and they should maybe play to their strengths, but it does take a big toll in terms of the poverty and dislocation that it causes. In terms of these agreements, is the Minister of State satisfied that they contain safeguards for a country such as Vietnam - notwithstanding that Vietnam is developing, it is still a partner country - and that we are not wiping out the benefit of aid by destroying some of their industries?