Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

When I worked in the European Parliament, I heard this argument again and again for ISDS in the case of trade agreements with countries with undeveloped legal systems. That was the argument put forward, but the US, which has the most developed legal system in the world, and, similarly, the EU are still arguing that corporations have special rights, rights that are not afforded to ordinary people in either bloc. This is a right of corporations to sue states that interfere with their right to make a profit. Does the Minister agree with the right of corporations to sue for what is known as indirect expropriation? Does he consider that our attempt to legislate for plain packaging for cigarettes could be challenged, as is currently happening under such agreements, with Philip Morris suing Uruguay and Australia? What is happening here is that the right to profit is being put above the right of states to regulate in the interests of public health, the environment and workers' rights, and it also represents a fundamental attack on our right to democratically discuss and decide on these policies, as opposed to allowing corporations to set the rules in private tribunals.

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