France, Ireland to back agriculture

FRANCE and Ireland are to continue playing leading roles within the European Union in promoting agriculture, it was agreed yesterday, as efforts were stepped up to secure a world trade deal.

Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan said her new French counterpart Christine Lagarde, with whom she spoke, fully shares her aim to ensure a positive and balanced outcome to the talks which did not sacrifice EU agricultural interests.

“The discussions in WTO have now reached an important phase with further significant developments being widely predicted for later this month,” she said.