Leitrim councillors clash over legislation - 'It is tantamount to treason'

A proposed trade deal saw Leitrim councillors clash at a recent meeting in Carrick-on-Shannon where Cllr Eddie Mitchell asked the council to contact Ministers Helen McEntee and Jim O’Callaghan, requesting they withdraw the Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bill 2025 is a legislative proposal to amend the Arbitration Act 2010 to allow Ireland to ratify key EU international investment agreements including the Canada-EU CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement).

He said: "The bill seeks to extend the provisions to future trade agreements, such as the EU-US trade agreement. We ask that they cease undermining Irish sovereignty."

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Speaking at the meeting, he said the bill was passed "at 1am, without any public consultation and I'm asking the council to recognise that it's dangerous to lose our political independence. We can't afford to be afraid to be sued when we make decisions."

Cllr Justin Warnock supported the motion stating: "The biggest fear is that we will lose our sovereignty and be sued by large multinational companies."

Cllr Pádraig Fallon also supported the motion and noted that the Supreme Court found "that the full ratification of CETA was not only unconstitutional but would also require referendum and ultimately, I think that's what it needs. I don't think it would pass a referendum". 

Cllr James Gilmartin said that if it is passed, "future governments would be tied in for twenty years and it could dictate policy down the line" before stressing he believed it "needs more scrutiny". 

Cllr Enda McGloin said that he didn't support the motion stating: "We elect our legislators and legislation is either passed or otherwise" adding, "that's the role of Oireachtas members". He added that to call on the Ministers to withdraw legislation was "wrong", in his view. 

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Cllr Brendan Barry said it was "ridiculous that our Supreme Court ruled that the CETA deal was unlawful and yet,  legislation would be brought in at 1am to allow corporations to be able to sue the state for the loss of potential earnings."

He added: "I think it would be crazy for any organisation, person or state to put themselves in that position" with Cllr Fallon saying there is "confirmation that two fossil fuel companies are suing the state."

Cllr McGloin noted that the Irish Supreme Court ruled by a 6-1 majority that Ireland could ratify CETA if specific amendments were made to the domestic Arbitration Act 2010.

Cllr Mitchell said that "this clause would allow the state to be sued by fracking companies for a loss of earnings" with Cllr Mary Bohan saying this would be a "worry". 

Cllr McGloin retorted that "we are living in a democracy and elect Dáil members to legislate that's their role. It's up to them to decide whether they approve or disapprove of a bill."

Cllr Mitchell added: "If we end up in a situation where an international tribunal are making decisions that implementable in Ireland, that has a chilling affect on politics."

He continued that the amendment legislation, in his view, was a way "of undermining the Irish Constitution". 

He said the new legislation is "tantamount to treason. This is serious; we live in a place where foreign companies want to take resources; we are on the periphery and a lot of the objectives being balanced in Europe and in Dublin don't represent our needs in this region."