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

The Deputy will not find me defending the indefensible. I have stated my view clearly. I have a responsibility to use the time available to us following the announcement of a headline agreement between the European Commission and Mercosur states to ensure everything is done to frustrate and mitigate, dismantle the ambition and protect the interests of the Ibeef sector. As I said, the deal that has been reached at a high political level has not been endorsed by a single member state or national parliament, the European Parliament or the Council of Trade Ministers. There is a significant distance to travel. It is right that attention has been drawn to environmental and climate issues in the context of this proposal. We will, rightly, be implementing significant measures to make progress on climate issues, with which a significant element of the proposed deals. If we can use it to frustrate and thwart the ambition of Mercosur and make sure our efforts are legally robust, it may be possible to use the well documented disregard for climate issues of the Mercosur states to our advantage. That is one area. As I have said previously, we are not without friends in dealing with this issue. We have made common cause with other member states in the beef sector. Collectively, the challenge is to make progress on these matters in a way that will diminish the ambition of Mercosur.

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