Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Verhofstadt and the commitment to support the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, but one part has been neglected slightly, that being, the commitment to human rights equivalence. I am not referring to citizens' rights, which have been discussed at length. Human rights equivalence is a pillar of the agreement. I would appreciate Mr. Verhofstadt's thoughts on how it can be enforced as a key aspect in the negotiations and kept from being lost.

In terms of peace building and the Good Friday Agreement, it is important for Europe to understand Ireland's role and global contribution as a neutral nation.

My specific question is on the second stage of negotiations. Mr. Verhofstadt has been clear, in that the European Parliament will have a say over whether we enter those negotiations. A new trade negotiating mandate will need to be given by the Council to the Commission. In his role in the European Parliament, will Mr. Verhofstadt seek for environmental, equality and employment standards to be central in any negotiating mandate so as to ensure that there is no race to the bottom, which would damage Ireland deeply? Given that Mr. Verhofstadt's country of Belgium has referred investor courts to the European Court of Justice to test their compatibility with European law, can we expect that any trade negotiating mandate given to the Commission by the Council and supported by the Council will not include such mechanisms?