Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-05-Speech-2-017"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2006-09-05"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Suspension of negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20060905.5.2-017"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2006-09-05-Speech-2-0182
lpv:speaker	lp:Seán Ó Neachtain2
lpv:spoken text	". Mr President, I am not at all surprised that the World Trade Organization talks have collapsed once again. For some time now, I have been calling for the exclusion of agriculture from these talks. Agriculture makes up a mere 5% of world trade, yet the blame for the collapse of the talks is laid firmly at European farm gates. Why should 5% hold back the other 95% of trade? It is time to remember that. I attended the Doha Round of talks in Hong Kong last December and before that those in Cancún, and I informed this Parliament of the false impression that is being created that developing countries would benefit from more access to EU markets. Nothing could be further from the truth, and we are hearing it again in this Chamber today. The developing countries have little to gain from such a gesture; in fact, the EU already allows free access to 50 least-developed countries as it is. The real winners would be the beef barons of South America, if we were to allow Irish farmers to be sold out. The real losers in this situation would be the small European farmers who are already on the breadline. Let us make no mistake about that. A recent survey of Irish consumers, for example, revealed that just one in five people has confidence in food imported from outside the European Union. This is not surprising. Opening up the EU agricultural market any further will bring food security and food traceability into serious question. Are we willing to accept the scenario of uncertainty regarding the food we feed our children, in the light of food safety scares such as mad cow disease, CJD, or avian influenza? Are we willing to accept a free-for-all approach to the use of angel dust and other suspicious substances amongst Brazilian beef farmers? We in Ireland have recently witnessed the demise of the Irish sugar industry. Brazilian sugar barons are the beneficiaries of the recent sugar reform, while 4 000 Irish sugar beet farmers have been made redundant. In Hong Kong last December I witnessed Korean farmers fighting for a livelihood which is currently being threatened by transnational grain corporations, who are bargaining under the guise of endeavouring to help developing countries. This is a fallacy. It is clear that the WTO cannot succeed as long as we insist on playing Russian roulette with our food supplies and with the livelihoods of small European and Irish farmers. It is time to move on. It is time to exclude agriculture from the talks once and for all and not sell out European farmers."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	chair; Delegation for relations with Canada (2004-09-21--2007-03-13)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (2004-09-22--2009-07-13)3 substitute; Delegation for relations with South Africa (2004-09-15--2007-03-13)3 substitute; BUDG (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3 member; Committee of Inquiry into the crisis of the Equitable Life Assurance Society (2006-01-19--2007-06-19)3 unknown; Fianna Fáil Party (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 member; TRAN (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3 member; PECH (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3 member; UEN (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Seán Ó Neachtain,"1 "on behalf of the UEN Group"1

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