Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The important point is there is no deal yet. The direction of travel in beef is worrying and we have made our views quite clear on that. I am advised that whether this Parliament ultimately has a say is contingent on the nature of the deal that will be concluded. We see opportunities in certain respects in agriculture but we see significant threats in beef. We will continue to apply all the pressure we can to ensure that the deal is as good as it possibly can be for Ireland, bearing in mind that we are only one of all the member states. This is a minority Government and if this House has a say, it will be the House that decides its view on the agreement. We are applying the maximum possible pressure, bearing in mind that we also benefit from trade deals in Europe and recognise that in the broader context, trade deals are a two-way street. There cannot be a negotiation where we say that we want to sell our products to everywhere else but no one may sell their products to us. That is not the nature of trade deals. The detail is where the question is at and we are trying to ensure the best possible outcome in the detail of beef.

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