Richard O'Donoghue Urges Dáil to Reject CETA Arbitration Amendment
Richard O'Donoghue spoke in the Dáil about a proposed amendment to the Arbitration Act to ratify a secret investors court under CETA, urging TDs to vote against the change. He said the amendment would strip the Dáil and TDs of their ability to enact laws for the public good and warned of harm to farmers and rural Ireland.
O'Donoghue set out that the vote concerns amending the Arbitration Act to ratify a secret investors court - part of CETA. He asked TDs to "stand with the people" and oppose the amendment, arguing that existing Irish and EU laws already protect companies and investors.
He warned that ratifying CETA would remove the Dáil's ability to enact laws for the public good. He said laws to improve working conditions, pay, regulate energy prices or strengthen health and safety standards could be decided by a secret court and be open to challenge.
O'Donoghue linked the issue to agriculture and rural communities, citing Mercosur and claims that Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael had told farmers they were protected while supporting trade measures. He argued many left agriculture because of regulations made in Europe and said Irish producers were being disadvantaged despite having "the finest beef, the finest milk."
He accused some representatives sent to Europe of not adequately representing the country and urged TDs to act as protectors of local decision-making. He concluded that he would not vote for the amendment and warned that passing it would be a matter for those who voted in favour to answer for.
Amendment under debate
O'Donoghue set out that the vote concerns amending the Arbitration Act to ratify a secret investors court - part of CETA. He asked TDs to "stand with the people" and oppose the amendment, arguing that existing Irish and EU laws already protect companies and investors.
Concerns about Dáil authority and sovereignty
He warned that ratifying CETA would remove the Dáil's ability to enact laws for the public good. He said laws to improve working conditions, pay, regulate energy prices or strengthen health and safety standards could be decided by a secret court and be open to challenge.
Warnings for farmers and rural Ireland
O'Donoghue linked the issue to agriculture and rural communities, citing Mercosur and claims that Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael had told farmers they were protected while supporting trade measures. He argued many left agriculture because of regulations made in Europe and said Irish producers were being disadvantaged despite having "the finest beef, the finest milk."
Call to TDs to protect voters' voice
He accused some representatives sent to Europe of not adequately representing the country and urged TDs to act as protectors of local decision-making. He concluded that he would not vote for the amendment and warned that passing it would be a matter for those who voted in favour to answer for.
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Transcript
We are asked to vote to amend the Arbitration Act to ratify a secret investors court part of CETA. I am asking the TDs to stand with the people and with the Dáil ability to make laws for Ireland and vote against amending the Arbitration Act. We already have Irish and EU laws that protect companies and investors, and if these laws are good enough for the rest of us, including the Irish businesses, it should be good enough for Canada and corporations. Ratifying CETA will remove TDs ability to enact laws for the public good. It means that the laws to improve working conditions and pay to regulate energy prices or to improve health and safety standards can be voted by Canada's corporation in a secret court whose decision can be challenged. We saw what happens when you take away from our local authorities the ability for implementing laws in our local authorities. and they gave it to the likes of this House. You took away the power within your own parties, in your local authorities, to make decisions for their own counties where they get elected. You now want to take the powers away from the TDs in this House to enact Irish law. And yet we see what happened with Mercosur. Cair Mullooly, independent Ireland, went out there fighting to make sure that rural Ireland was protected here. And the same parties, Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael, who told the farmers we are looking after you, made statements out there last week to say that they were in favour of it. And now it is after getting a three year extension on it. But for God's sake, do you not realise the people in this country have their own voice? We have our own laws. And yet you are supposed to be here as protectors for this country. That is where the problem lies. We give away our sovereignty to someone else to make decisions for us. And now you can see where it is getting us. That we now send out people to Europe and they go out there and they are no more than what, if you watch that film years ago, they are like this club the whole time. Up and down, yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir. They are not representing this country. They are not representing rural Ireland. They are not representing the farmers in this country. Why do you think so many people have got out of agriculture? Why? Because Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael forced them out with regulations that weren't made here. They were made in Europe. We have the finest beef, the finest milk, fast fed cows in the world. And what do you do? Close us down. Well in this case I won't be voting for this to be amended and I will be standing with the people of Ireland to make sure that this doesn't happen. And if we vote this in, on your head it will be. Thank you.