John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First and foremost, I have significant concerns in relation to this proposed agreement and I outlined some of those last week in committee. In the first instance, there are serious and long-standing concerns shared by all democratic states at the appalling human rights record of the Singapore Government. Second, there are very serious concerns surrounding the similarities between the Singapore agreement and the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, particularly the investor court system, ICS, provisions and how they relate to our rights as a sovereign nation. While I note what the Minister of State said about the terms of the trade agreement, there is provision and specific mention in this agreement also.

Ireland stands on its record as a neutral, non-aligned nation with a long history of participation in UN peacekeeping missions across the globe. That record formed part of the arguments put forward for consideration of Ireland's election to the UN Security Council. Ireland also stands as an independent nation that works, as a member of the EU and of the international community, to place the human rights agenda at the very centre of international discourse.

The record of Singapore on human rights is a serious cause of concern as regards our acceptance of this agreement. South Korea, the United States, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Mexico and, indeed, Ireland all raised concerns relating to human rights issues in Singapore during a UN review in May of this year by the UN Human Rights Council. Areas of specific concern include freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and a failure to comply with relevant human rights standards. Government opponents and critics continue to be persecuted under repressive legislation in Singapore and there are strict attempts to control media coverage, from the targeting of journalists to the blocking of news sites and social media through the repressive Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019. NGOs, including Amnesty International, have raised concerns about the treatment of migrant workers, over 300,000 of whom were forcefully quarantined during Covid in overcrowded conditions. There are also significant concerns relating to the targeting of human rights defenders in Singapore. There are incidences of journalists being targeted for activity on social media. One human rights defender was charged with illegal assembly for posing for a selfie on his own. There is also continued persecution of the LGBTI community, the practice of flogging and the death penalty. These are but a few instances that must be a matter of concern for the Government. If they are not, this House is entitled to an explanation for that very worrying development. The overall attitude and ambition of the EU, in which I of course include Ireland, stands in stark contrast to the obliviousness and lack of commitment shown by the EU towards attempts by the UN to introduce binding and enforceable obligations in the area of business and human rights on multinational businesses to abide by a set of urgently needed international laws, which would make them accountable for their actions and the actions of subsidiaries throughout the world.

The other area of concern relates to our rights as a sovereign and independent nation and the privileged position that we are surrendering to multinational companies under the ICS. I champion the right of this country to secure trade agreements and encourage investment within the State but some of the language of this agreement is taken straight from the ICS playbook. We need to be very clear. We need to have a Government that retains the autonomy to develop its own policies, not one hamstrung by the investor court system that is dedicated to the interests of corporations. We need a balance, we need stability, and we need to ensure that the public interest is at the forefront of all our international agreements.

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