Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)

I welcome this motion and the opportunity to speak on this really important issue. I thank Sinn Féin for bringing it forward. The Social Democrats will be 100% supportive of this motion. Objection to the Mercosur free trade agreement is not just a matter of trade but of principle, sovereignty, environmental integrity and protecting our indigenous industries. This deal is a direct threat to our beef and poultry sectors, to our rural communities and to the standards we have fought so hard to uphold in food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.

I begin by expressing a deep concern I am sure others in this Chamber share. I am sure many people in the Gallery do so too. The Government is not fighting this deal with the urgency or strength it demands. I have often wondered what kind of conversations would have happened in this Chamber when we were talking about the Common Fisheries Policy. What kind of discussions, debates and arguments were put forward when Ireland was signing away our sovereignty when it came to our fishing resources? I must say that reading this speech from the Minister today, I would imagine it was very similar. The Minister has seven pages here in this speech about Mercosur and, my goodness, there is vague and watery language. There is talk of "repeatedly emphasising", "the text did not go far enough", "the Government has concerns", and "examining the final package". Nowhere in this speech does he say this Government is opposed to Mercosur. Nowhere in this speech has he stated that Ireland will formally or has formally opposed this deal. That is exactly what we needed to hear from the Minister tonight. It is what people in the Gallery needed to hear. Instead, it is wishy-washy language.

In May this year, I raised this issue with the Tánaiste. I asked specifically what countries he was talking with to ensure we can have a minority blocking group on this matter. I asked him who he was working with. Similarly, I got fluffy language back but nothing definite. I was told we were having meetings. Where are the results of those meetings? Why is the Minister not able to say we are absolutely 100% against this deal and we will fight hard for our rural communities when it comes to it? Turning to Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and, indeed, the Independents, who have been lambasting me recently-----

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