Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I dealt earlier with the issue of the relevance of the impact assessment carried out by the Commission. The Commission had the most up-to-date information about the position in Ireland throughout all of the negotiating process.

Ireland achieved the best possible outcome at the time, including a support package which was later availed of by the industry, including significant compensation to the sugar beet growers, as was needed by all of the people who worked in that industry. At the time, the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, did everything to support the industry.

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