Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Taking No. 9 without debate would be outrageous. We have been down this road before with regard to economic partnership agreements, but these three agreements have not been discussed in African parliaments. With regard to the first of the three, which deals with the Southern African Customs Union and the Southern African Development Community, there has been a specific attempt by some countries to come together on 18 June. Today is Africa Day. These three agreements affect hundreds of millions of Africans.

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