Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I welcome the initial movement on the CAP negotiations. I am sure the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has been working extremely hard to try to get countries to agree to anything at all. I would like to join with others to say "Well done" on that front, particularly in regard to the ending of the quota for sugar beet, which raises a very real opportunity for the Irish sugar industry. Obviously, this CAP negotiation will have to go through the European Parliament, and it is the first big test for the European Parliament in terms of its responsibility on this negotiation. I join with others in asking for the Minister to come to the House so we could have a debate on CAP, particularly the greening aspect, which is still causing concern and will undoubtedly be reorganised through the European Parliament.

If the Minister is coming in to discuss CAP, I make the point that we see more reports today of tonnes of desinewed lamb being found in France, having been imported from the UK. Desinewed meat has been illegal in Europe for some ten years since the BSE scandal, so for it to be discovered in the human food chain is quite a concern. While I hope the Minister will be able to draw breath following the CAP negotiations, I ask that we would have him come to the House to discuss the whole horsemeat and now lamb difficulties. There are still big concerns with regard to what is happening in the food industry, the meat industry in particular. In short, I am asking for two debates, one on the meat industry and one on CAP.