Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The EEC. There were discussions going on for some five years beforehand. I often wonder what would have been the outcome if Ireland was this negative about entering the EU and did not go in. My father often spoke to me about the economic war and the hardship it brought upon this State. I look on the TTIP as an opportunity but we have to be careful about it. We have to make sure the opportunity is there. I was in a school today in Leixlip and I saw young children working on IT projects where they produced video and games. I was very enlightened. Here we have a future generation and are we going to curtail them in not being able to trade with the world? I worry that if we come out totally against TTIP that we will curtail a future generation. I have listened to the arguments on climate change and know that we have to protect our future generations. I have been to Africa many times and I have worked as a volunteer in various parts of the world.

I believe trade is a way of helping people out of the poverty of which Trócaire talks. I have seen it first-hand. However, if we keep putting up stronger and stronger barriers it will create long-term poverty in certain areas and create fewer opportunities for the school children I saw today. We have to look at this much more carefully and we also have to embrace the fact that we are in a global world now. Trade is done on a global basis and I would like to see that small young farmer who can kill his few lambs in his abattoir and be allowed the opportunity in 20 years to expand globally. I would also like to see African trade coming in here. We have to look at this on a global scale - to embrace it but be careful about what we are embracing.