Michael McCarthy (Labour)

It is suitable for a post-lunchtime audience, which is just as sensitive. When I searched the Internet, I found a definition of "decoupling" which said that it cuts the link between subsidies and production and allows farmers to move away from unprofitable production and to respond faster to market changes. The document I found gives about five more explanations. I will be happy to give a copy of it to Senator Maurice Hayes if he is still puzzled about decoupling. I agree there could be a better linguistic approach to the Irish version.

It was stated in the House last year, during the debate on the Nice treaty, that it was very important that it be ratified by Ireland. I am thankful we did so on the second occasion. One of the arguments made in the House at the time concerned the fact that the Minister, Deputy Joe Walsh, was negotiating the deal in Europe. It was of benefit to him at the conclusion of the Luxembourg talks that we ratified the treaty. Had we not done so, we would have sent him to Brussels, or Luxembourg, as was eventually the case, with one arm tied behind his back. He could not have told potential candidates for accession to the Union that they were not allowed to join and, in the same breath, expect to negotiate a deal that would be of benefit to the farmers and the economy as a whole. Ratification was positive and created a good platform from which he was able to negotiate the CAP.