A SUGGESTION that Ireland exercise its veto in the world trade talks was described as "premature and defeatist talk" by Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan.
She said that it was too early to consider what position Ireland would have to take on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) deal.
"We are still in the throes of negotiations and there is no certainty as yet in terms of the timing or shape of a final deal," he said.
"The next couple of weeks will be crucial. It will be up to the Irish Government, in the fullness of time, to consider its position taking into account in an informed manner all the relevant factors when the shape and details of a final deal are known."
Ms Coughlan said that similar estimations had been made by various representative bodies and shared with the department. Those assessments were also used to evaluate the various negotiating proposals which emerged from the discussions and to develop the Irish position.
Earlier, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said there should be an analysis by the Minister, and the Department of Agriculture, of the implications of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson's proposals.
"Does she agree with the figures, procured by the farming organisations in this country, that a tripling of the importation of beef into the EU would cause the loss of 50,000 jobs in the agri-sector in this country?" Mr Kenny added.
He asked if the Minister, on behalf of the Government, was in a position to veto a deal whether or not it was concluded on May 19th.
Mr Kenny was introducing a Fine Gael Private Member's motion calling on the Government to signal its willingness to use all necessary measures to defeat the current WTO proposals.
Ms Coughlan said there was no doubt they were entering another crucial phase in the negotiations and determined efforts would be made during the coming weeks to reach an agreement.
Fine Gael agriculture spokesman Michael Creed claimed the viability of the traditional family farm structure was in jeopardy.
He added that there had been 50,000 job losses at farm gate level and a further 50,000 in food processing. "This is not merely a problem for the agricultural sector. The beef and dairy industries together contribute an estimated €6 billion to the economy in terms of goods and services," he added.
"How will this revenue be replaced if the current WTO proposals are implemented?"
Mr Creed said that apart from the obvious economic carnage in the countryside, and the job losses in the food processing and agribusiness sector, several other non-trade issues had not been taken into account in the current negotiations. "In a nutshell, we are legalising large volumes of imported food from outside the EU that it would be illegal for Irish farmers to produce," he added.
"We are also . . . undermining the biosecurity of the agricultural sector and exposing consumers to salmonella, antibiotic resistance, hormone-fed meat, avian flu, foot-and-mouth disease and a whole host of dangers as yet unknown and unquantified."
Labour spokesman Seán Sherlock said that the WTO was not on the correct path to deliver worldwide economic prosperity.
"It will not raise the economic tide of all-comers and, from this island's point of view, will have a disastrous effect on the rural economy . . . and will decimate the common agricultural policy, to which we all subscribe and which has been negotiated by a process of pooled sovereignty of EU member states through many years of diplomacy," he added.
A Government amendment, endorsing its strategy, was carried.
