Costello slams AWOL opposition TDs for skipping key debate

28 March 2014

by Cllr Joe Costello

 ‘Purveyors of negativity’ absent from Dáil debate on trade and the economy

Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, hit out today at members of People before Profit, the Socialist Party, and other Independents for not bothering to turn up for a debate in Dáil Éireann on the contribution of trade to the Irish economic recovery. Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan was the sole Independent TD who attended and spoke in the debate.

Speaking during the debate, Costello said:

“I am extremely disappointed that there have been no contributions from the People before Profit, from the Socialist Party, from any other Independent on the other benches.

“They were very vocal in the earlier debate on Seanad Reform, but here we have an issue that was absolutely central to the wellbeing of this state, where it was only through our international trade that the wellbeing of this country was rebuilt. Remember 85 to 90% of everything we produce is sold on the international market.

“This is such a huge issue for debate, yet people who are so vocal on all sorts of other issues are not prepared to come in here and express an opinion on the importance of the work that has been done, in relation to the recovery of our economy.

“Indeed it is my firm belief that without the boost and without the strength and the robustness of the activity engaged in international trade, without the record number of ministers going abroad on trade missions, I am not even sure that we could have managed to walk the tightrope that we did to keep this country afloat.

“We had an annual increase in international trade of 6% for every year until this year, when we had the patent cliff which affected trade figures.

“I want to pay tribute to the good work that has been done in this area, and I want to deplore the fact that the purveyors of negativity up there have not seen fit to come in here to even give us an opinion on all the good work that has been done.

“Deputy Byrne and Deputy Murphy have admirably responded to the issues that were raised by Deputy O’Sullivan, and I want to complement the good work that she is doing in the Committee, dealing also with development issues over the last period of time.”