A controversial trade deal isn't being referred to an Oireachtas committee simply to avoid a split in the Green Party, one of the party's TDs has insisted.
Patrick Costello says voting for CETA would be a 'difficult thing to do'.
A vote on the Canada-EU trade deal had been expected in the Dáil.
However, it's been confirmed the details of the deal will now be scrutinised by a committee before a vote takes place.
It comes amid strong opposition to parts of the deal from within the Green Party, including from several of its TDs.
Several prominent members and local representatives have said they can't see themselves staying in the party if it backs CETA.
Deputy Costello is another of the Green TDs who've voiced their concerns over the deal.
He told Newstalk Breakfast the latest development doesn't mean a vote on CETA is just being kicked down the road.
He said: “I wouldn’t say this is referring it to an Oireachtas committee to avoid a split in the Green Party… I think it’s being referred to a committee to give it the full proper oversight it needs.
“It was originally scheduled for a 50 minute debate, which is nowhere long enough to discuss the really important, technical and detailed things in this treaty.
“It was reported that Richard Bruton - who was the minister who originally signed off on this - welcomed the scrutiny and said it was a good thing.
“I don’t think this is just about us - there were lots of other voices outside the Green Party… calling for this needing proper scrutiny."
Deputy Costello said his main concern is that the deal would lock Ireland "into an investor court system", where private companies could takes cases against states over trade disputes.
He said the experience globally shows such courts can limit governments ability to introduce important legislation, in particular around environmental protection.
He said: “The experience globally is the private corporations would be able to sue the state - even threatening to sue the state would be enough to have a chilling effect.
“What the Oireachtas committee will do is give us a chance to see if we should vote for this… it’ll give us a chance to look into the details, and hear from those who support it."
While he declined to say whether he could ever vote for the deal even after the extra scrutiny, he did note that would be a "very difficult" thing to do.
