Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is hard, in such a short time, to express all the concerns I have about TTIP. For a start, the fact that the negotiations are being held in such secrecy creates an uneasy atmosphere about the agreement that will finally emerge. There are threats to workers' rights, to our food safety standards, to agriculture and to our very sovereignty, in the sense that investor state dispute settlement, ISDS, seems to bestow more power on corporations than sovereign governments. We have seen some stark examples of this, for example when Veolia, a company that is also very active in Ireland, threatened to sue the city of Alexandria because the Egyptian government wanted to increase the minimum wage.

However, because I have limited time, I will focus on agriculture, related matters and my concerns about TTIP in that area. The Irish beef industry is export-led and needs to be so to survive. The entry into the EU market of beef from the United States of America can only do damage to the Single Market. The American product is produced to standards far less strict than the European ones and the presence of hormones in the meat is a major factor. Beef from the US will be cheaper than the European product. This introduces unfair competition, which can only lead to a lowering of standards in the Union or damage to the market for home produced meat. The reputation of Irish meat is second to none and this must remain the case.

Consumer confidence is key to maintaining our market for Irish agricultural produce and any dilution of that is a serious threat to the industry, which is already threatened by lower prices, higher production costs and manipulation of the market by the big operators within it who have no regard for the maintenance of the family farm and the people whose lives depend on Irish agriculture. Ireland is a small country, but where a meat processing cartel is in existence, it is able to manipulate the market, control prices to suit its agenda, have access to beef and cattle data and maintain feeder lots so as to ensure it can manipulate prices. The magic number in this regard is 30,000 animals a week. Effectively, if farmers or a farming organisation decide to hold back cattle in order to obtain higher prices, the cartel can supply cattle from its feeder lots to maintain the market in its own interest. It is predicted that our beef sector will contract by something between 1% and 3%, the equivalent of from €25 million to €45 million, as a result of TTIP.

We are also concerned at the threat that genetically modified organisms will be a more common phenomenon. The opening of the EU market to food produce from the United States, where approximately 70% of all processed foods sold in supermarkets contains genetically modified ingredients, must have an effect and it seems that our own cautious approach to GMOs will be cast aside in the face of this deal. EU plans to regulate hormone-damaging chemicals found in pesticides were dropped recently and there is concern that this too is a TTIP issue. Food production in the European Union follows a preventative approach, ensuring high levels of hygiene at all stages of food production from farm to fork. These standards must be maintained and demanded of any food coming into the EU market.

Irish farmers must adhere to strict criteria. From the moment a calf is born we have traceability. We also have significant safety standards in regard to the eradication of any diseases. In the United States, most cattle are treated with antibiotics for any type of ailment or are fed antibiotics to prevent illness. They are also fed with GM produce. These cattle then make their way into the market, often with stark consequences. The standards we have must be maintained and demanded of any food coming onto the EU market. We want to maintain these standards.

We pride ourselves on the traceability of our produce. Our consumers like to know where their food is coming from, but can we guarantee that with US produce? I do not believe so. The same goes for milk and other dairy produce. The point must be made that the so-called opening of the US market to Irish beef has not materialised in the massive sales we were promised. Early last year it was stated this market would be worth in excess of €50 million a year, but in response to a priority question this morning, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, informed us this market was only worth €11 million last year. Therefore, the prediction was totally wrong.

If our export trade is offset by our own market in Europe being flooded by beef or dairy produce produced cheaply to standards far lower than ours, we are in big trouble. How do we know, when the Government is not telling us, that the interests of Irish agrifood manufacturing are being protected during these negotiations? Does the Government even know what is being negotiated on our behalf? I doubt it. Are these negotiations being rural proofed on our behalf? The big question around the whole issue of TTIP is in whose interests is this deal. That is a question to which we have not had a satisfactory answer.

The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and five other committees were to debate this issue, but just three committees did so. The agriculture committee raised questions regarding the motivation behind TTIP, who benefits from it and the ulterior motive behind it. Given the tremendous record of beef, dairy and food produce in general within the European Union, its standards are second to none. These standards serve us well from the point of view of our agricultural export programme. We need to protect this position, not just for economic gain, but for our citizens so that they can be safe and be assured the produce they buy, cook and eat is of the same standard as we are compelled to produce.

These questions need to be asked. The Minister must take on board everything that has been said, not least what has been said by Labour Party Deputies, who for once have been inclined to agree with us. I hope he takes that on board also.

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