Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand a trade agreement in our name is to be signed by the European Commission on 28 October, having been given the thumbs up by the Government. Unbelievably, it is an agreement that has not been discussed or put to a vote in this Chamber. In reality, it has not seen the light of day in Dáil Éireann. It has been left to voluntary groups, community groups, trade unions, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to inform us of this matter and bring it to our attention. This far-reaching agreement is known as the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, CETA, the agreement that dare not speak its name in this Chamber. Fortunately, the public driven awareness campaign throughout Europe has alerted us to what is going on. There are serious concerns being expressed by Germany, Austria, Hungary and Belgium, to name but a few of the countries, about the agreement. Moreover, the European Court of Justice is examining the EU–Singapore free trade agreement, another new generation deal intrinsically related to the CETA. The ruling in this case which will be significant is expected in the spring and shall have significant implications and consequences for how the CETA is applied. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has acknowledged that the outcome of this case will have an impact on the scope of the provisional application of the CETA. Effectively, the Government is planning to allow the Commission to sign up, in our name, next week to provisional application of the agreement and find out what this actually means in the springtime.

I realise the Government is under pressure from the President of the European Commission, Mr. Juncker, although it did stand up to him in the case of Apple when it suited it. Mr. Juncker is on record as saying the credibility of the European Union's trade policy is at stake. What is at stake is the credibility of our democratic system if the Government allows such an agreement to be signed. In this regard, as the Minister is aware, a recent Red C poll commissioned by Uplift Ireland and which is of help to him informs us that 74% of the population of the country who still believe in democracy want a referendum not only on the CETA but also on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP. Moreover, the Seanad has passed a motion calling on us not to sign the agreement and, more importantly, to uphold Article 29.5.2° of the Constitution. That article sets out that the State shall not be bound by any international agreement involving a charge on public funds unless the terms of the agreement have been approved by Dáil Éireann. Clearly, the agreement's allowing of businesses and companies to sue states will have serious implications for the public purse. In the circumstances, I am asking the Minister, as a democrat, not to sign up to it. Moreover, he should immediately instigate a frank and open debate in this Chamber.

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