I raise the issue of the Mercosur trade agreement, which has certainly not gone away. We are in a position over the weekend where we see that Larry Murrin, the chair of Bord Bia, is also the CEO of a company that was providing Brazilian beef. It is simply incompatible with his role in the promotion of Irish food products to remain in that position. That is the first point. We also had good news from the European Parliament this morning because the Mercosur trade agreement has been referred to the European courts because of the undemocratic nature in which it went forward. This vote happened today. It was The Left group in the European Parliament, with which Sinn Féin is affiliated, that initiated this proposal to bring this forward. We are now in a position where the Mercosur trade agreement will have to go to the courts and the undemocratic way in which the Commission put this forward will have to be dealt with. However, all is not lost. The cute boyo routine that this Government went into over the past number of months - they were saying at home that they were opposed to it and yet they were doing nothing about it - is now very clear. We are in a position where the Government has an opportunity to support what is going on in the European Parliament and to hold to account the Commission that has done this in an undemocratic way.

The vote this morning is welcome because it gives a chance for what I call intensive canvassing to take place before the next vote, which is of paramount importance. One thing I take grave exception to is the comment the Deputy made about the stance of this Government. The stance of this Government over the past 12 months has been clear. It could not be clearer than in writing. In writing it said in the programme for Government that this Government was going to oppose the trade deal as it was presented and work with like-minded countries-----

Which it failed to do.

-----to try to get a better deal for Ireland. Whether or not the Deputy realises or acknowledges it, that is exactly what happened. The Government voted the way it said it was going to vote.

It could not have been stronger or clearer. I take grave exception to people who tried to undermine the good work of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, over the past 12 months when he was engaging on an extremely regular basis not just with the ministers for agriculture throughout Europe but also at all levels of officialdom-----

It failed.

-----where we worked diligently on this.

It failed totally.

If the Deputy did not know that work was going on, it was his fault.

I call Deputy Timmins.

If he does not know what is happening-----

I thank Deputy Healy-Rae. I call Deputy Timmins.

-----we cannot be responsible for that.