Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will try not to use all the time available to me. This agreement should not come as a surprise given that it has been negotiated over 20 years. I recognise that there are problems in the beef-farming industry. That difficulty has to be recognised and in some way alleviated as we go forward. I believe in fair trade deals. Trade deals have to be fair. We have a small open economy. We trade right across the world.

There is a danger that South American countries will drift towards American control and Trumpian ideas. That was evident during last year's elections in Brazil. All of this poses a danger to the Paris accord.

The positive aspects of this deal should be recognised. The agreement includes an obligation to implement the international organisation of fundamental standards and freedom of associations. It recognises the right of collective bargaining, which we have campaigned for in this country for many years and has recently been recognised in law here. The deal recognises freedom of association. All of these are key elements within the deal. It is important to raise workers' standards across South America. Anyone who understands the history of what has been happening in South America will see the fundamental importance of these matters.

The Paris accord on climate change will not be implemented and regulated by blue helmets. We are not going to be able to send the UN into Brazil to protect the rain forest. We have to ensure it is controlled by international agreements, including trade agreements. I would love to see blue helmets implementing the Paris accord, but that is not going to happen. It is going to be implemented and regulated by bureaucrats. Satellite photographs will be used to make sure agreements that are made on an international basis are enforced. Draft trade agreements include ways and mechanisms to enforce the Paris accord. That has to be recognised. There is agreement on the restoration and reforestation of 12 million ha of forest. That is important because America and Trump have reneged on the Paris accord. We are tying several important South American countries into the Paris accord under an international trade agreement. The agreement will fall if they do not meet these obligations.

The World Health Organization has continually flagged the use of antibiotics in certain sectors of agriculture, including the beef, poultry and pigmeat sectors. Antibiotics can work their way into the human food chain. We need to be honest about the fact that the regulations in South America are weak.

I emphasise that this is only a draft agreement. We will get the proof of this agreement when we get the detail right and make sure climate change is stitched into it. These countries must recognise that. At all stages over recent weeks and months, everybody has been speaking about the importance of climate change. Practical steps are needed to tie countries into the process. It is a question of the carrot and the stick. We can engage in fair trade and open our markets, but if the regulations are not met we can close those markets again.

It is worth noting that the deal states that food safety standards are absolutely not for negotiation. A 100% level of compliance with EU food safety standards will have to be achieved. The deal makes it clear that EU food safety standards are non-negotiable and will be applied rigorously. It is worth noting that the deal states that the EU Food and Veterinary Office, which is based in County Meath, will be the authority that ensures this happens.

We can go with the soundbites I have been listening to since the weekend, or we can sit down and start looking at the agreement in detail. We can selfishly look at how this deal affects Ireland, or we can start looking at our climate and our planet as a whole. If we want to tackle climate change, we must encourage other countries that have difficulties in coming along with the climate effort. Some of that will involve doing trade deals. We have to accept that such deals will not always go in our favour. As a First World country, Ireland is part of the problem. We have to help Third World countries to meet certain standards. That will be done through fair trade deals.

I hope and pray that the Government will take care when the detail of this agreement is being finalised. I hope we will protect our environment and workers' rights and assist domestic industries, such as the beef industry, where such assistance is needed. We need to make sure it receives as much help as possible.We have a broader obligation to humanity but that has fallen at the first hurdle. Before the local and European elections were held, every party and the Government said, "Oh, my God. The green issue is the issue for the future". I have been saying for three years that a price must be paid to get our climate right and these prices must be paid over the coming months, years and decades. We have to get fair trade correct and must assist Third World countries. We have to protect our own industries as much as possible but above all, we have a responsibility to humanity and to the planet. I am sorry to say that too often, over the past three or four days, I have heard sound bites taken straight out of the IFA's handbook. We must get beyond interest groups and think of the bigger picture. We have to ensure that we protect the rainforests. We have to ensure that any international agreements are enforced, which is key if we want to stop the deforestation of the rainforests.