Ireland needs to "send a clear message" to Europe about its opposition to the Mercosur trade agreement according to the Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice.

This is one of the reasons, the TD, has outlined, why a "national community protest" against the Mercosur trade deal is being organised by Independent Ireland in Athlone, County Westmeath in January.

"What we want to show the Irish government and Europe is that people in Ireland are opposed to this dirty, rotten deal," the TD for Roscommon-Galway said.

The protest is being spearheaded by Deputy Fitzmaurice and the Independent Ireland MEP, Ciarán Mullooly.

Deputy Fitzmaurice said the protest will be "a tour de force" of people in Ireland that are opposed to Ireland before the next set of crucial votes are taken on Mercosur in Europe.

According to Independent Ireland the protest, which will take place in Athlone on Saturday January 10, will include a tractor and vehicle cavalcade around the town crossing the river Shannon and ending in a rally in the indoor sports arena at the Technological University of The Shannon.

Mercosur

Ciarán Mullooly believes that "two votes" must be taken before the Mercosur agreement can be passed.

He said that first the council of ministers has to vote -which will include the Irish government, followed by a vote in the European Parliament.

"We must send a united message to the Irish government, to the European member states, to the European Parliament that Ireland is saying no to Mercosur," Mullooly added.

He said the trade deal would have a "detrimental effect on Irish beef, white meat and even grain".

"It is critical that we say no," he added.

European Commission

Earlier this month the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, confirmed that the commission had "reached out to our Mercosur partners and agreed to postpone slightly the signature" on the trade deal.

Peter Power, who acts as the official representative of the commission in Ireland under the political authority of President Ursula von der Leyen, described the delay to the Mercosur deal as a "missed opportunity".

He said before Christmas that he was "hopeful that we will get an agreement in early January".