Considering a deal with Mercosur – when it “complies with no rules and regulations” – has been described as “outlandish” by independent TD Danny Healy-Rae.
Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, July 10, on the topic of the EU-Mercosur Agreement, the Kerry TD pointed to the thousands of people who travelled to Dublin to protest against the deal.
“They are very angry. They are already squeezed by the factories and, if Brexit happens, they know they will be squeezed further,” deputy Healy-Rae said.
It is outlandish to think the Government is considering a deal with Mercosur when it complies with no rules and regulations. The animals are not tagged or anything. There is foot-and-mouth disease in those countries.
“Against this we can see how all farmers here for at least 20 years have gone through every hoop and met the highest standards. There are inspections every day and department vets are on top of them.
“They comply with every regulation so it is outlandish to think we could even consider this deal.”
Continuing, the TD said that the deal is of no benefit to the people of rural Ireland, the small farmers and the people from Kerry “and all over the country who came to protest outside the gates of Leinster House”.
“Why would the Government even consider it when it is of no benefit to those people? It will hurt them, drive them into the ground and finish them.
“All those people want to do is to continue what their fathers did before them, to carry that on and hand the farm down to the generation following them in a slightly better condition.”
The independent TD said that even entertaining the agreement is not helping the farmer’s case.
This deal is with a crowd from South America that are complying with no rules and regulations. They are breaking every rule in the book.
Deputy Healy-Rae pointed out that Ireland is being asked to cut down production and plant more land “when hundreds of acres are being cut down every day”.