Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

At the outset I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Smith, on his appointment. I look forward to working with him in the best interests of Irish agriculture and the agri-business sector. I am sure I speak for my colleagues in that respect. I also congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, on his appointment in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

I do not mean these comments to be personal but I read the press statement issued subsequent to the Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting yesterday and regret the continuing clap-trap regarding the need for a balanced deal. Farmers do not know what the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food means when it refers to a balanced deal. What they want to hear, almost exclusively now in the context of the Lisbon treaty, is that if what is on the table now regarding tariff cuts of up to 70% in beef and high tariff cuts across other sectors also is the final deal presented by Commissioner Mandelson, first, that the veto is available as a political option for the Department to use and, second, that if what is on the table now is what will be put before the Minister and the Government to approve they will use the veto option.

See this speech in context