Results 601-620 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: The Minister of State was sitting over there, sound asleep.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: The Minister of State does not have a clue about what he is speaking.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: We have gone from 36% to 50% to 70%, and the Minister of State tells me he was awake.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: That is called the softening up process.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: Former Deputies Austin Deasy and Ivan Yates were the two best Ministers for Agriculture.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: If she knew what she was at, she might not be castigated.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: Governments Members are carrying a great deal of weight on their shoulders.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: At the outset, I thank my colleagues who spoke in support of the motion and the members of the Labour Party and Sinn Féin for their contributions also. Previously, I made the point that a great deal of jargon surrounds the WTO debate and today's discussion reinforces this. With reference to jargon I want to deal with the Government's amendment which I reject entirely. It speaks about the...

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: I did not interrupt the Minister. The 2005 October riding instructions to Commissioner Mandelson dealt with tariff cuts in beef of between 50% and 60%, tariff cuts in pigmeat and poultry of up to 50% and likewise in milk and skimmed milk powder. Therefore, the 2005 figure is 50% while the 2003 figure is 36%. We are now discussing cuts of up to 70%. I listened at length to the Minister of...

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: ——there was not a single contribution which confirmed to us what the balance was. What are we getting to concede 70% tariff cuts?

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: We are not, but we are being asked to park the agriculture negotiations and buy a pig in a poke for 70% tariff cuts in agriculture. Over the dead bodies of those of us on this side of the House.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: It is shameful that the Minister did not indicate that in defence of a vital national interest she will not invoke every measure available to her, including the veto.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: Deputy McGuinness, the Minister of State with responsibility for trade, previously stated he was charmed by Commissioner Mandelson.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: Check the record. I do not have enough time to deal with it now.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: It is obvious that he is also blinded by the lights of the director general of trade in the Commission. Not alone is he charmed by Commissioner Mandelson but he accepts that we should save our powder until such time as the ink is dry on the deal——

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: ——and then have a debate in this House and castigate what is happening. That is wrong. I wish to briefly deal with a number of issues raised by the Minister in her contribution. She spoke about the Green Box. Do not try to soften us up here by claiming the single farm payment is under threat.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: We do not accept that the single farm payment is under threat.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: She also stated consumers in Europe were protected by sanitary and phyto-santiary agreements under the WTO. This is simply not the case.

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: This is the point the Minister missed repeatedly in the Brazilian debate and in the debate on the ending of battery poultry production and outsourcing chicken imports from China which would be produced to a standard not acceptable in Europe. We are exposing consumers to beef from Brazil, a country where foot and mouth disease is rampant. The same standards do not apply. There is no...

World Trade Organisation Negotiations: Motion (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Creed: My time is running out. The issue is in the context of the veto and 2003.