The EU-Mercosur deal “is not acceptable” in its current form according to Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, while Sinn Féin has also warned it will be “disastrous” for Irish farmers.
A ‘flash action’ protest was held in Brussels today (Monday, December 9) to highlight opposition to the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur countries in South America.
Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president, Francie Gorman was one of the the farm leaders who took part in the protest in Brussels.
The Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice and MEP Ciaran Mullooly MEP also made their voices heard at the protest.
Deputy Fitzmaurice warned that the Mercosur deal “sacrifices Irish farmers and rural communities for the benefit of other industries, particularly the German car sector”.
“Our farmers have invested millions in environmental and animal welfare and poultry standards to produce food of the highest quality.
“Yet this agreement allows substandard imports, of poultry and hormone-treated beef from Mercosur countries, into EU markets,” he said.
Mullooly also said that in his opinion both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste should have been “out here”.
A spokesperson for Fine Gael told Agriland that the party is committed to “protecting our most vulnerable sectors”.
“We have consistently raised concerns since the original agreement in 2019.
“Our farmers must be able to compete on a level playing field when it comes to environmental and other standards. In its current form, the EU-Mercosur deal is not acceptable,” the spokesperson added.
Separately a spokesperson for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, told Agriland that his position on the agreement “remains unchanged”.
The Tánaiste previously stated that the Mercosur deal could “not be supported” in its current form and that it made “no sense” to facilitate the importation of goods “produced to much lower standards” in relation to the environment.
Mercosur
But the Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, has accused both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael of “speaking out of both sides of their mouth on Mercosur”.
She has called on both parties to officially notify the EU Commission of Ireland’s opposition to “the disastrous trade deal.”
The Sinn Féin leader said: “The caretaker government must take action and immediately notify the EU Commission of Ireland’s official opposition to the deal.
“Mercosur offers nothing positive for Ireland.
“It will put farmers and our environment in a much weaker position. The risks to Irish agriculture from the entry of hundreds of thousands of additional tonnes of South American beef into the EU market cannot be underestimated,” Deputy McDonald said.