World trade talks: the reality for Ireland if Mandelson's proposals are accepted

In a myopic article in the Sunday Business Post titled Trade about more than farmers Cliff Taylor swallows the José Manuel Barroso and Peter Mandelson line on the WTO, hook, line and sinker. He blithely glides over the effects on Ireland and gives the impression that only farmers are affected. This is arrant nonsense.

Taylor omitted to state the following:

• At least 50,000 jobs are at stake in agriculture, food processing, agricultural engineering, farm insurance and other services. The last four industries were ignored in his article. These jobs would disappear in the short term.


• Food security would be jettisoned. Have we learned nothing?


• The EU would be flooded with cheap food often lacking traceability. Are not EU consumers entitled to high quality food? It is not acceptable to put consumers health at risk.

He speaks about gains in software, business and financial services. Of course there would be some gains. Nevertheless it would be a case of live horse and you get grass.
These gains would not compensate for losses in agriculture, food processing and services linked to agriculture.
Perhaps Cliiff Taylor might care to view the advertisement from the IFA on page 23 of the Sunday Independent.-Message from Rural Ireland Stop Mandelson WTO Sell-Out. This features the businesses affected. This is not just about farmers. Consumers health,food security and spin off industries linked to agriculture come into the picture.

Obviously Cliff Taylor would prefer to buy a pig in a poke.