The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Minister Martin Heydon, has told the Dáil that Irish officials are currently examining the proposed Mercosur bilateral safeguard clause "in detail".

According to Minister Heydon these officials are reviewing the proposals to "see if they provide any of the additional assurances required".

The minister said that in recent months he has met with his French, Austrian, Latvian and Polish counterparts, to "exchange views" on Mercosur.

But Minister Heydon issued a stark warning in the Dáil that some European ministers "speak glowingly of the Mercosur agreement and what it would mean for their farmers and agriculture sectors".

"There are some countries that are very strongly of the view that this an agreement that should have been agreed ages ago.

"The fact is that a minimum of four countries is needed for a blocking minority for the Mercosur agreement, if and when it comes to a vote," he told TDs.

Mercosur

According to Minister Martin Heydon Ireland is "in the minority" at the AGRIFISH Council "in terms of continually raising concerns" around the Mercosur deal.

"We do it because of the sensitivity for our beef sector and others. Previously, others that were in that space with us were the French and Polish, while the Austrians and Italians also have concerns.

"It requires at least four member states working together as a bloc and that combined they would constitute at least 35% of the population of the EU.

"If that falls away, there is not that ability to block in that space," Minister Heydon said.

MEP

Separately the Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South, Kathleen Funchion, said today that remarks made by former EU Commissioner Phil Hogan in a media interview that Irish farmers have “nothing to fear” from the Mercosur deal are out of touch and misleading.

The MEP said: "This deal will be disastrous for our farms, particularly beef farms.

"Phil Hogan is living on another planet if he thinks this won’t be detrimental to Irish agriculture".

She believes a "blocking minority is possible" on Mercosur and has urged the Irish government to stand up for farmers by joining it.