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Joint Committee on European Union Affairs debate -
Wednesday, 25 Nov 2015

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Motion

I move:

That the Committee on European Union Affairs

- withdraw the political contribution on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, as the process from which it has been drafted is significantly incomplete, is based solely on evidence given to only three committees, which exposes the committee to censure from stakeholders and citizens who are already deeply concerned regarding the secretive nature of the TTIP negotiations and believe that concerns raised are not being dealt with;

- commence with the process agreed to in May 2015, which included the holding of hearings to examine in full the identified policy areas of the trade agreement for consideration across the six Oireachtas joint committees, namely:

- European Union Affairs;

- Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation;

- Agriculture, Food and the Marine;

- Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform;

- Justice, Defence and Equality; and

- Foreign Affairs and Trade

- prepare a comprehensive political contribution on completion of the agreed process by all six committees that adequately reflects the comprehensive examination members have undertaken in their consideration of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership trade agreement, an agreement that is unprecedented in its scale and depth.

Question put:
The Committee divided: Tá, 3; Níl, 10.

  • Crowe, Seán.
  • Halligan, John.
  • Reilly, Kathryn.

Níl

  • Burke, Colm.
  • Byrne, Eric.
  • Dooley, Timmy.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • Hannigan, Dominic.
  • Hayden, Aideen.
  • Keating, Derek.
  • Kyne, Seán.
  • Noone, Catherine.
  • O'Reilly, Joe.
Question declared lost.

As agreed by the joint committee on 21 October, the political contribution will be laid before the Houses and submitted to the relevant Ministers and European Union institutions. Tomorrow, at 2 p.m., the French ambassador will appear before us to discuss the recent atrocities in Paris. That meeting will be followed at 3 p.m. with a meeting with the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Phil Hogan, to discuss the annual work programme of the Commission for next year. I expect the possibility of a British exit from the EU or "Brexit" will feature heavily in that discussion. Proceedings should conclude by 4.30 p.m.

The joint committee adjourned at 12.05 p.m. until 2 p.m. on Thursday, 26 November 2015.
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