Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

My colleague has already addressed some of the concerns relating to the mushroom industry and rural employment. It is an issue that I am aware of, having worked with young unemployed people in rural areas and seen the importance of such industries there. The mushroom industry is one in which standards have been strengthened, particularly in terms of workers' rights. It is important that we acknowledge, encourage and support this.

I will address the question of trade, which the Minister and Senator Richmond discussed. It is important that we set the record straight. There has been a suggestion across much of the media that Wallonia is the only area in Europe that has opposed the provisional application of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, but it is actually the case that Belgium and this House are the only places where there has been parliamentary debate on the issue. We are not talking about Wallonia disagreeing with the consensus across Europe, we are talking about a situation in which only the Seanad, which voted to express sensible and reasonable concerns regarding the provisional application of CETA, and Belgium have held parliamentary debates on CETA. If we are passionate about being European, as I am, we must point out that we are members of the EU and it behoves us to be able to challenge for and look to better and more appropriate trade deals. In that respect, Ireland needs to be able to look for better trade in this and future trade missions and agreements. I encourage the Minister to do this.

In Wallonia, it was mainly small farmers who campaigned and agitated regarding the real obstacle, namely, investor courts. The impasse is not a matter of whether one country or district will sign, rather, it is whether we are willing to acknowledge that the investor court system, which no one will defend and which is unnecessary for dealing with, for example, countries such as Canada that have well-established legal systems, as we do, is an unnecessary obstacle to an effective trade ratification process across Europe. Senator Richmond referred to family farms. However, it is not them, mushroom producers in Ireland or small producers that will take cases to the investor courts. Rather, the major agribusiness companies will be able to take advantage of and be advantaged by the investor court system.

We need trade agreements that are workable for farmers, other citizens and the environment, can be passed, deliver sustainable jobs and do not place blank-cheque pressure on future Governments and public policy. For example, it would be difficult under an investor court system if we wanted to use public policy to intervene and support our local mushroom industry. I encourage the Minister to reconsider this matter. It is important that, when the UK makes a trade agreement with Europe, we will have moved past the current unworkable model of trade deals and towards something that is workable for everyone.

I echo my colleague's concerns and call on the Government to find appropriate ways to intervene and support those specific food and agricultural product industries that are struggling to make this transition. I urge the Government to link with groups such as the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, which has examined a shopping basket of goods. We need a goods-by-goods approach to this matter and we must look to each sector - section by section - in order to address this. We could also link with major supermarket purchasers and apply pressure in that regard.