Michael Brennan (Progressive Democrats)

I, too, welcome the Minister and her officials to the House and thank her for her detailed contribution. It is important that we make time to discuss issues such as the one before us for a number of reasons. First, there can be a tendency to consider negotiations such as those held at the World Trade Organisation as far off and of little everyday significance to ordinary people but what are the repercussions for Ireland at the World Trade Organisation discussions to be held in Hong Kong next week? Second, some see these negotiations as being of concern only to the declining number of farmers in Ireland or those deeply concerned with issues in the developing world but they are of much greater importance than that. We should see this as an opportunity to stress that point and to reaffirm Ireland's continued support for a fair, multilateral trading system at the Doha development agenda.

The negotiations provide the world's nations with a chance to take a number of important steps, including expanding trade, fostering global economic growth and supporting development. That is beneficial to Ireland, our fellow EU member states and developing countries. Less-developed countries will also benefit from duty free and quota free market access, commitments on the level of market access linked to their level of development and deferential treatment and measures to strengthen trade related assistance. We must remember that this is also meant to be a development round with the difficult objective of creating the conditions whereby poor countries can take advantage of globalisation, something that has been portrayed at times as impossible.

The World Trade Organisation is not singly concerned with the needs of the developed world over poorer countries. It must be remembered that the Cancún talks failed mainly because the concerns of the world's poorest nations were not being meaningfully addressed. Ireland correctly supports international moves to address the challenges that result from economic and technological change. We rightly support equitable growth and development and we also promote all well-balanced actions in the interests of the World Trade Organisation's members but in particular action in the interests of the developing countries.

The simplistic view is that it is a zero-sum game; gains for one mean losses for others but the heart of the current debate has been a need to ensure balance between the key areas of the development agenda. The agriculture sector expressed concerns that farming livelihoods are somehow being negotiated away at international level. To take the EU nitrates directive controversy as an example, the Department of Agriculture and Food issued a consultation paper, together with the text of draft regulations to give legal effect to the action programme last October but by the closing date of 4 November, 76 submissions had been received from a wide range of stakeholders including farming organisations, co-operatives, local authorities and other interested parties. As recently as last Monday, I received correspondence from farming interests concerned about the validity of a scientific report submitted to the Department on which decisions about the directive may be based. I cite that example because at international negotiations an agreement on agriculture and trade is necessary and welcome, particularly when the objectives are the promotion of free and fair trade, supporting development or protecting our environment. We must ensure, however, that all stakeholders and interested parties are kept abreast of positions taken, the basis for those positions and the likely outcome of developments. Stakeholders and interested parties need the fullest information possible if negotiations are to mend their confidence and trust.

Today's statements and those in the Dáil on Thursday last are an opportunity for stakeholders and interested parties to get reassurance that Ireland will pursue the most beneficial outcome for the Irish agri-food sector at the Hong Kong negotiations. They provide an opportunity for those negotiating on their behalf and those negotiating on our behalf to state clearly that they accept the importance of their work, although it appears the Hong Kong conference will not result in final agreement being reached.

The next World Trade Organisation agreement will set the levels for future protection and support for the entire agriculture sector. There is no doubt that will have serious implications for the Common Agricultural Policy. I am aware the Minister for Agriculture and Food shares the concerns of the sector that the EU Commission has adopted an unnecessarily concessionary approach to the upcoming negotiations.

On the one hand, there are those who need reassurance about the World Trade Organisation negotiations. We need to hear that the EU's latest offer is as far as we can go, having reformed domestic support, committed to the elimination of export subsidies and proposed substantial reductions in import tariffs. On the other hand, we need to hear that the priority in trade talks is to assist the world's poorest countries and that Ireland accepts that developing nations do not have the same capacity to compete on the world markets and so require special treatment. We realise this is a complex area but one that requires a coherent approach. I am glad this series of statements provides an opportunity for those facts to be made clear and I wish the Minister every success next week.