Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Some of us opposed it and joined the anti-globalisation protesters in Genoa specifically because it would enable the EU to do international trade deals that would destroy our environment, hammer farmers and undermine human rights. Now the chickens have come home to roost. The Ministers should confirm it. Somebody asked earlier if we have a veto. The answer is that we do not because of the Lisbon treaty. Is that not right? The Ministers should confirm it. We can vote against this but it will not make any difference because we sold our veto in agreeing to the Lisbon treaty. Is it not correct that there is qualified majority voting in this area?

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