Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Creighton referred to the CAP health check as a precursor to what will emerge from the WTO talks. She is right to suggest that we face a significant challenge in this regard. As I said earlier in response to Deputy O'Keeffe, we can negotiate from a position of strength if we build alliances and ensure that we are at the heart of things. We face significant challenges in terms of negotiating well. We are committed to that. It is important that we secure the best deal we can for Irish agriculture. We will work on that basis with our European Union colleagues.

I assure Deputy O'Keeffe that some momentum is coming from the WTO itself. Pascal Lamy is trying to arrange a ministerial conference. It was meant to happen in June but as far as I am aware that is now unlikely. Commissioner Mandelson appeared clear in his mind during the last meeting held in May that the conditions were ripe for a ministerial conference.

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