Feargal Quinn (Independent)

This time last year, at the instigation of two Irishmen, Bono and Bob Geldof, the G8 nations met in Gleneagles, making welcome promises to allocate funds to the developing world. Those promises involved debt relief, financial aid and trade. Reports yesterday stated that only the debt relief has been implemented.

I raise the trade issue because the WTO talks started yesterday in Geneva and will continue for the next month. The sounds coming from Ireland are that we must not move from our current stance. Forfás reported recently that Ireland would benefit from a new WTO deal by $200 million in services and $83 million in manufacturing but would lose $54 million in farming. Our team going to the WTO only seems to hear of the danger to farming. We should show flexibility because we owe it to the developing world; the Doha Round must work. We are among the wealthiest nations in the world and this is a win-win situation, so we must encourage a flexible attitude in the WTO talks.