Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader provide time as soon as possible to discuss the Lisbon treaty? At 12 p.m. today, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs will launch an interim report on the treaty. I am very concerned about yesterday's protest by the IFA at the European Commission offices in regard to the negotiations at the world trade talks in Geneva and the fact Peter Mandelson seems to be a runaway train as far as they are concerned. He has given concessions which will affect farming in the future. If we lose the farming vote for the Lisbon treaty, it will be defeated.

Farmers are very concerned about this issue. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to come to the House to discuss her views on the concessions proposed by Peter Mandelson which will see a 70% cut in the tariffs on beef, zero tariffs on lamb and which will result in halving the cost of the production of beef? The Cathaoirleach will appreciate that if that happens, farming in this country will be finished.

It is a serious issue and it is now being linked to the Lisbon treaty referendum. The IFA is very concerned about it, as are those involved in rural Ireland. Peter Mandelson is misleading the views of the European Commission in this regard and he should be reigned in. It is so serious that the Taoiseach should become involved and call for a discussion at European Commission level about the concessions proposed. If those concessions are given and approved by the majority of the European Commission, it will be the death knell for farmers in this country and for the Lisbon treaty. If that is what the European Commission wants, that is what it will get at the referendum.