Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise the urgent matter of the silence from the Taoiseach and his Ministers concerning the stance the Irish Government may or may not take in the event that Commissioner Mandelson will sell out his own farmers in the European Union to strike a deal at any price at the World Trade Organisation talks; if the Government accepts that while the consequences of such irresponsible behaviour will be disastrous for all European farmers, the result of an unbalanced WTO outcome for Irish farmers would be nothing short of catastrophic; if the Taoiseach accepts there is a vital national issue at stake in that regard; if he understands the real dilemma faced by countless thousands of Irish farmers, traditionally the most pro-European Union supporters in the country; if he is further aware that the suspicion on the part of all farmers of Commissioner Mandelson's motives is now turning towards his own Government; if he accepts that now is the opportune time to prove that the Irish Government will not let the farming community down in its hour of need; and if the veto will be invoked if Irish agriculture is decimated as a result of a botched WTO agreement. I am delighted the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Taoiseach are in the Chamber to hear this.

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