I refer to the Mercosur deal. With any trade agreement there is give and take, but surely where one industry will be decimated, this is a no-brainer. I merely want to point out how badly the beef sector in my constituency of Cork South-West will suffer if this goes ahead. Can I ask the Minister the format that the economic impact assessment will take, when is it to start and what is the format?

On the same issue-----

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae was in ahead of Deputy Cullinane, but I will call the Deputy.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

On the economic impact assessment-----

It is about the Mercosur deal, which is the same issue. A blind man could see here today that the Minister, Deputy Bruton, was in favour of this Mercosur deal. Does the Minister realise the impact that this will have on rural Ireland? Is this purely a Government for Dublin or does it realise there is life outside Dublin and that it needs to continue there?

A question.

I am asking the Minister to bring forward a motion on this next week, that we have a vote and that Fianna Fáil, which has supported the Government, to vote against it on this occasion.

We do not want to interrupt the Deputy.

I am asking for Fianna Fáil's support on this occasion.

The Deputy cannot be taking advantage.

The Government cannot let down the suckler farmers and beef farmers of Ireland. That is what the Government is doing.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae may not have been in the House earlier but it has been agreed that it will be discussed for 60 minutes tomorrow.

We want a motion.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae will have to place his faith in the leader of his group who will represent him at the Business Committee. If they discuss it, I have no doubt he will reflect Deputy Healy-Rae's views.

On the planned economic assessment of the Mercosur deal, the Minister, Deputy Bruton, was Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the past. He will know the south east is still an underperforming economy, although there has been some recovery. The Department will have carried out many economic assessments in that region given that it still does not have the same level of employment as other regions. The agrifood sector is hugely important to the south east as is the beef sector.

I thank the Deputy.

The region needs the agribusiness sustain the regional economy. I am sure the Minister is aware that this is a massive issue for farmers across the State, but particularly in some regions, such as the south east.

Okay, we got the question. I call Deputy O'Keeffe.

Given that the Department has already carried out numerous economic impact studies for all the regions, why is there a need for a further one on this issue when the Minister knows full well the importance of the agrifood sector to the south east?

I call Deputy O'Keeffe on the economic impact assessment on Mercosur, bearing in mind there will be a debate tomorrow.

In the Government's defence, the Ministers state that the trade-off will mean we will get more value out of our dairy sector. The Government must remember that the dairy sector survives on the basis of new born calves, which go into the beef sector. One cannot lose sight of that. The economic impact will affect the dairy sector.

As there are no more questions on Mercosur, I call on the Minister to flesh out the economic impact assessment if he is in a position to do so.

The economic assessment will take the pattern of previous ones. It will look on a sector-by-sector basis at each of the sectors that are likely to be affected by the reduction of tariffs in the case of new access to these markets and imports of quotas where quotas have been allowed in the various agricultural markets. They look at its impact on living standards, employment and the flows of imports and exports, and the net effects of that for regions and for the economy as a whole. That is the approach that has been taken previously and I am sure that will be the approach that will be taken again.

That is very helpful.