Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I asked this question a number of times and the Minister has not given me an answer. When can we have a debate on this agreement? I note she said this House will have a vote on it but in the meantime we could have a debate on it. I request that she arranges that. She might indicate specifically when the House will get an opportunity to debate this issue. As elected representatives, we are entitled to debate this issue. That is why we are asking the Government not to sign to sign up to this agreement until we have had discussion on it and a full vote on it in the House. I believe, as do thousands of Irish people - millions of people have signed a petition opposing CETA as they have concerns about it and the Seanad is also opposed to it - that this is a bad deal for Irish workers, consumers and farmers. It is a bad deal for democracy. It undermines the Irish judicial system and the Government should strongly oppose it. The least that should happen is that we should have a full debate on it in this House and a vote on it when it comes back form the Commission. The Minister might indicate a date when we will have a debate on it.

See this speech in context