“Most awful betrayal” Mayo TD says as Brazilian beef imports to Ireland rise 800% over a decade

Mayo TD Paul Lawless said new data shows that 40,000 tonnes of beef were imported into Ireland last year, the highest annual figure recorded in the past ten years.

That is an 800 percent increase in imports of Brazilian beef into Ireland over the past decade, according to figures released to the Aontú TD.

Deputy Lawless said the statistics also show a sharp rise in imports from Brazil. In 2016, just 22 tonnes of Brazilian beef were imported into Ireland, while last year that figure rose to 172 tonnes.

“The huge increase in the amount of beef imported into Ireland is shocking and worrying,” he said.

Deputy Lawless also criticised the Government’s handling of issues relating to beef imports and trade negotiations linked to the proposed Mercosur Trade Agreement.

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He said Irish farmers were already in a vulnerable position due to concerns about potential competition from South American producers and the possible impact on the European beef market.

“I was proud to travel to Strasbourg with Aontú to assist farmers in lobbying MEPs to vote to send Mercosur to the European Court,” he said.

“We won that vote by a small margin, but the Government, supposedly against the deal, was nowhere to be seen in that campaign and indeed a number of Government party MEPs voted against farmers on that day.”

Deputy Lawless also referred to controversy surrounding Bord Bia and its chair Larry Murrin, who he said had been linked to imports of Brazilian beef into Ireland.

“To learn that beef was entering the Irish market, and that some of it was being brought in by Larry Murrin represented the most awful betrayal,” he said.

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The TD also raised concerns about transparency around imported beef, claiming that more than 5,300 tonnes had entered Ireland over the past decade from countries whose identities he said have not been disclosed by the Minister.

He said he intends to raise further questions at the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee regarding the origin, safety testing and labelling of Brazilian beef imported since 2016.

“I want to know where it was sold, what tests it went through to ensure it was safe, what labelling was applied and what percentage of it was imported by Larry Murrin’s company during that period,” Deputy Lawless said.

He added that he would continue to press the issue on behalf of Irish farmers.