Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Discussion

1:30 pm

Mr. Eoin Bradley:

I very much welcome Senator Quinn's comments. With regard to the perceived negativity coming from ourselves, which was commented upon by Mr. Finnegan and Dr. Gold, the report produced by the Irish Cancer Society is designed to be very constructive. Not only does it recommend that the ISDS be removed from the agreement, it also says that if an ISDS or an investment court system, ICS, arises, these following principles should happen. Ultimately, as I have already said, we are not against trade. We understand that trade happens and we just want to protect public health. I believe that will be very important.

The topic of the tobacco industry was touched upon and I very much welcome what was said. However, tobacco sums up the issues around the ISDS, particularly for the Irish Cancer Society. It showcases the reasons we are arguing for a public health carve-out to protect public health policy from an ICS. It was summed up by David Sullivan, the EU ambassador to the US, who was in Ireland before Christmas. When asked about the potential lobbying by the tobacco industry and the potential use of the ISDS, he said that it is not going to happen under TTIP. About five minutes later he said he was afraid that there might be some very constructive lawyers - his phrase - who may interpret or misinterpret the final agreement around TTIP. We would also share that concern. Ultimately we would like to see a public health carve-out and to protect public health policies from the tobacco industry also.