. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/24 
1 December 2009 
 (09-6097) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
IRELAND 
 
Statement by HE Mr Billy Kelleher (TD
) 
Minister for Trade and Commerce  
   The WTO provides the essentia l framework to manage the huge changes taking place in 
world trade.  The agreements and obligations overseen by the WTO are essential to the fair regulation 
of trade.  They give our enterprises confidence to  develop new secure, open markets.  Business gains 
from transparent, predictable and fair rules.   We believe in making the WTO adaptable to the needs of its members and responsive to 
global problems.  This makes the organi zation vibrant, relevant and respected. 
 
 The WTO's dispute settlement process is critical to keeping trade moving.  The certainty of a 
fair hearing and the knowledge that trade disputes ha ve international adjudication, with legal redress, 
is vital.  Ireland would like to see mo re transparency in this process. 
  In these times of economic crisis the need for an effective and relevant trade referee could not 
be clearer.  The WTO's protection monitoring work is too important to overlook.  Putting a spotlight 
on new rules that restrict trade prevents short term  protectionism growing where trade rules might be 
abused.  Widespread rolling back of what we have  achieved to open markets and encourage more and 
freer trade must be avoided.   Trade is a tool that can be used to suppor t so many policy goals, such as climate change.  
Trade policy should be deployed to address this threat .  We need more products that are innovative, of 
a high standard and good value to help us create gree n policies.  Opening channels for freer trade in 
environmental goods can contribute to a carbon-free future.   On development, Ireland believes trade is one of  the most important drivers.  We are firmly 
committed to fulfilling the development dimension of Doha.  The DDA was designed to ensure that 
the poorest and weakest countries are not marginali sed, but could use trade to help deliver their 
individual development agendas.  However, a lack of capacity and opportunity obstructs progress.   How a country benefits from liberalised trade depends on the strength and productivity of its 
domestic economy and its ability to access markets.  By Aid for Trade, Ireland supports and funds a 
number of initiatives to help partner countries to  reduce poverty through developing a trade capacity 
that also fosters economic growth.  This technical assistance better equips developing countries to 
represent their interests internationally a nd gain more advantages from global trade. 
 WT/MIN(09)/ST/24 
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   Finally, the Doha outcome has to reflect key in terests of all members.  We will only have a 
successful agreement where everyone's  special interests are adequately  catered for.  The outcome has 
to fit coherently with all our objectives, includi ng the newer challenges of climate change and food 
security.  We need to intensify our efforts to make  this happen because the benefits are too great to 
ignore. 
 
 The huge decrease in global trade volumes alr eady reported underlines the need to quickly 
resolve our differences and deliver an ambitious , balanced and comprehe nsive Doha agreement. 
  Go raibh mile maith agaibh go leir . 
 
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