Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, John Brady TD has said that he, along with his Sinn Féin colleagues on the Joint Committee on EU Affairs will be subjecting CETA to the most rigorous scrutiny possible.

His comments follow reports that CETA is to be referred to the committee.

Teachta Brady said:

“CETA is a bad deal. It is bad for workers’ rights, bad for the environment and bad for the public purse. It introduces investor courts into the Irish system, which would be a very dangerous step which puts the profits of big corporations above the rights of ordinary Irish citizens.

“Sinn Féin have been stringent in our opposition to CETA for over four years. The government must not attempt to side-step its own internal tensions and avoid a direct confrontation with members of the Green Party, by referring it to the committee for scrutiny.

“This government needn’t think that they have pulled a fast one by passing this controversial issue to committee, in order to avoid a full and proper Dáil debate.

“I can assure them that the interests of the Irish people will be represented at the Oireachtas Committee. I can assure them that the nefarious detail of CETA, which they seek to hide, will be brought out to the public domain. I can assure them that there will be democratic accountability and Sinn Féin are committed to sticking up for the interests of ordinary people above this dangerous and damaging deal.

“This is a hugely important issue, and if the members of the Oireachtas fail in their responsibility to the country, the future ramifications will be enormous. The potential damage to the environment, to workers’ rights and to the public purse would be far-reaching and dangerous. It would have huge impacts on agriculture, housing and public health. We cannot allow the Irish system to be infiltrated by these investor courts.

“At a time when certain global corporations are seen to be operating with impunity across the globe, the Irish government cannot, and will not be allowed to surrender the power to direct legislation to the detriment of the interests of the Irish people.”