The Irish government has been accused of neglecting its responsibility when it comes to "defending Irish farmers" in relation to the Mercosur trade deal.

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, Sligo-Leitrim TD, Martin Kenny, also claimed in the Dáil that the government has "sat back" and adopted a "wait and see approach to the Mercosur trade deal".

Sinn Féin tabled a motion last night (Tuesday, November 18) to oppose the Mercosur trade deal which resulted in a highly charged debate, witnessed in person by a significant number of farmers in the public gallery.

Deputy Kenny said while he believed that the negotiating around Mercosur was now over, he also warned that "Irish farmers cannot be sacrificed for German cars to be sold in South America".

"The Mercosur trade deal is bad for Irish agriculture.

"We are trying to promote generational renewal in Irish agriculture but there is no point in incentivising young farmers to take over the farm on the one hand and pulling the rug out from under them on the other by supporting the Mercosur trade deal," Deputy Kenny added.

Mercosur agreement

In response the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, said that Ireland had, "over a number of years, raised specific concerns about the EU-Mercosur agreement" and sought stronger trade and sustainability commitments. 

The minister added that the Irish government has "concerns about the preferential access being given to Mercosur if South American farmers are not subject to the same sustainable farming standards as our own farmers".

But he also acknowledged that "there is increasing pressure within the EU to move forward on this agreement".

According to Minister Heydon the Irish government continues to exam the final Mercosur package - including new safeguards - "to determine whether our concerns have been fully addressed and whether the necessary balance has been achieved".

He said the government would not oppose Sinn Féin's motion in the Dáil to oppose the Mercosur trade deal because it recognised "the need for robust trade and sustainability commitments, and the importance of our rural economy".

Separately the Social Democrats spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Jennifer Whitmore, said the numbers on Mercosur "speak for themselves".

"These will not just be low-value cuts. They will be premium steaks and striploin fillets, the very products Irish farmers rely on to fetch to fair prices in European markets," the TD warned.

The Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, also urged the government not to be afraid to say it did not agree "with what the EU is doing and you are opposing it, and let others stand up with you".

"If it does not do that, it will not be tomorrow or next year or the year after that we will see the results. It will be in nine and ten years' time that the farmers of Ireland will suffer for this," he said.

Meanwhile the Independent TD for Kerry, Danny Healy-Rae, told the Dáil that the government had promised him, "going back to the start of the year, that it would be against Mercosur".

"They are doing what they are doing down in South America and if they can export beef in here against Irish farmers, that is not right and I will not stand for it any day of the week," he added.

ICSA

According to the president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA), Sean McNamara last night’s Dáil debate "offered little reassurance that government is prepared to do what is necessary to stop this hugely damaging deal".

McNamara is in Brussels today (Wednesday, November 19), where he is leading an ICSA delegation in a number of meetings with MEPs.

"It undermines Irish and EU climate commitments, it threatens our food security, and it puts family farms in real danger. Ireland must take a firm and unambiguous stand, and it must do it now," McNamara said.