P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

Yes.

It is of paramount importance that Ireland's main objective is to ensure any final agreement can be accommodated without further reform of the CAP. If Irish agriculture is to survive, we must preserve the CAP. There should be a balanced agreement between the various elements of the overall negotiations. Agriculture should not carry a disproportionate burden in finalising a new agreement. It is not acceptable that concessions in agriculture should be the price for achieving progress elsewhere.

There should be a balance between the elements of domestic support, export subsidies and market access in the agriculture negotiations. The emphasis should not be on any one aspect, in particular on market access. In respect of domestic support, it is of vital importance to ensure that decoupled direct payments continue to qualify as the WTO green box classification and so remain exempt from reductions under the new round. The Irish position must be adamant on that matter as far as our farmers are concerned.

As regards market access, our aim should be to retain a realistic and effective level of protection for producers and exporters. This should be done by ensuring that the two third deviation from normal tariff cuts will apply, minimising tariff expansion by use of partial designation at eight-digit level and by forcing changes in the calculation method for TRQ expansion, rejecting the latest Falconer proposals on quota under-fill, SSG and tariff simplification.

Other issues of vital importance include the issue of food security. Food security is not at the forefront of the agreement and does not appear to be a priority for Commissioner Mandelson. With the increase in world population, global climate changes and the prevalence of bio-fuels as an alternative land use, the WTO agreement is vital in securing food supplies into the future. We do not have to go that far back to remember that for many years after World War II, Great Britain had to continue food rationing and that without vital food supplies from Ireland at that time, might have had to continue it for many more years.

Our Irish negotiators must ensure that non-trade issues such as animal welfare are not prioritised. We have already seen potential problems arise in this area in respect of Brazilian beef. We need to ensure that these issues are considered seriously in the context of ongoing talks. The EU, and Ireland in particular, have a proud element of traceability as far as our food products are concerned. If there is going to be a free-for-all trade after this forthcoming WTO agreement, that element of sustainability must be taken into consideration. We should be committed to securing the best possible outcome for the agricultural sector in the EU. It is of vital importance that we take a stronger position nationally on this issue by sending a delegation to meet with the director-general of the WTO, Pascal Lamy. I understand that he is meeting with delegations from a number of EU states this week.

I emphasise that it is very important that relevant Cabinet Ministers and our Taoiseach row in behind the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and wield as many instruments as possible to steer this issue in the right direction for Ireland and our Irish farming interests. We do not contribute to the citrus fruit mountain and the wine lake in Europe. Agriculture is our main industry. When we entered the EU, we were told that we would become the bread basket of Europe. The situation today is very far from this scenario. If Commissioner Mandelson gets his way, agriculture is on a downward slope.

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