This EU Mercosur Trade Deal is devastating for Irish farmers and the West of Ireland. There is still time for the Government to defend Irish beef farmers. However, it means they have to move fast and speak directly in defence of Irish farming families.
Fine Gael Minister Heather Humphreys came in to the Seanad yesterday to defend the Mercosur deal. I strongly expressed to her that the EU Mercosur Trade Agreement will seriously damage an already struggling Irish beef industry and our rural communities.
The farming and agri-food sectors, which already face enormous difficulties as a result of Brexit, will be put under even greater threat as a result of a deal which opens the EU up to cheap beef imports from South America.
What has been agreed to date is only a political agreement, it still has to be turned into a legal document. This process will take approximately two years and will then be brought to a vote at the Council of Ministers. Ireland does not have a veto because voting is done on a Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) and not unanimously.
These changes came in as a consequence of the Nice and Lisbon treaties. Sinn Féin opposed these treaties, warning at the time of the dangers to Irish agriculture.
I am asking Minister Ring to use the political clout that he so often talks about to save Mayo farming families. Tell Leo Varadkar to oppose this. Tell him to talk to his European allies and tell him to make sure this deal is stopped.”
