Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I understand the mental health (amendment) Bill is not due until next year. With regard to the other matter, it is important to point out that we recently had a serious discussion in the House. The then Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food offered a briefing to bring people up to speed on the situation. Unfortunately, this invitation has not yet been taken up, as far as I am aware, and it is something that could be considered. We must avoid ending up in a situation where we discuss issues such as the WTO which may or may not conclude at all, and may only have a 50-50 chance of concluding, whereas we are definitely dealing with another issue on 12 June and it is vital to achieve a "Yes" vote for that issue.

In the context of the health check which will take place on the Common Agricultural Policy this year, it is very important that our Minister would be armed with a considerable mandate in favour of Europe when trying to deal with simplification of the single farm payment. This issue is on that agenda and is one we would like to pursue with colleagues. It is an issue which has been raised by farmers and we would like to address it in the context of the health check. The possibility of increased milk quota is another issue we want to address.

The tendency to suggest that one would be looking after farming and agrifood interests by voting "No" in the European Union referendum on the basis of concerns which might never emerge in the WTO talks would be shooting ourselves in the foot twice because we then would have a situation where the Minister would be asked to go in to those discussions on the health check without the goodwill from colleagues we would otherwise have as a result of a strong "Yes" vote. While I understand the concerns and issues being raised are a matter of public debate, I ask that we keep these issues separate so that we do not confuse the public, let alone ourselves.

While these issues are to do with the same sectors in terms of the stages of the negotiations, by giving a "Yes" vote to the European reform treaty we have a fundamental interest to protect in terms of how the Common Agricultural policy health check goes in the short term and indeed many of the other issues post-2013 which are also germane. We need the goodwill of colleagues to deal with these matters as these Common Agricultural Policy reforms are being considered. I ask that we keep those matters separate. It might be a good idea to take up the invitation to the briefing on the WTO issue.

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