Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)

While I accept fully that we do not want to be nodding heads after the fact, it seems we are being asked to be nodding heads before the fact, which is a strange situation to be in. The Minister indicated that it is understanding that the Commission would not enter negotiations without some form of human rights framework as the basis of negotiations. How did he come to that conclusion? Did he have a conversation in this regard?

Is the Minister aware of examples where the EU has entered into these readmission agreements and then removed itself based on an awareness of a human rights breakdown or issue once those facts have been attained?