Mayo TD to address national protest against EU-Mercosur trade deal

Aontú TD Paul Lawless is set to address a national protest against the EU-Mercosur trade agreement in Athlone this Saturday, January 10. This follows the government’s announcement that it will now oppose the deal.

Deputy Lawless said it is troubling that, even in recent days, the Government was prepared to consider supporting Mercosur despite mounting warnings about its impact on farmers, consumers, and food standards.

“The most revealing fact today is not that the Government has moved -  it is how before yesterday it refused to,” he said.

“This was not a conversion of conscience. It was a calculation of consequences.”

READ NEXT: Couple avoid prison after theft of cosmetics worth over €2,000 from Mayo store

Deputy Lawless said the agreement would expose Irish farmers to unfair competition from South American beef and poultry produced under systems that would not be permitted in Ireland.

“Irish beef is not a commodity of convenience. It is a premium product, built on generations of skill, some of the strongest regulations in the world, and a reputation for quality that Ireland enjoys on every major market,” he said.

He said Irish livestock producers operate under strict EU controls relating to traceability, hormone use, antibiotics, animal welfare and environmental protection.

Concerns have previously been raised at EU level regarding regulatory oversight and production standards in parts of the Mercosur bloc, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Deputy Lawless also referred to recent reporting by the Irish Farmers Journal, which stated that Brazilian beef found on sale in Ireland tested positive for a growth hormone banned in the European Union. He said this raised questions about the enforcement of existing controls and the implications of expanding trade under the Mercosur agreement.

The TD confirmed he will attend and speak at Saturday’s national protest in Athlone and said he believes continued public engagement remains important. He said campaigners want assurances that the agreement will not be revisited or reintroduced at a later stage.

Deputy Lawless said he will continue to oppose the Mercosur agreement:

"This episode should be a warning. Irish farming and Irish food standards cannot depend on last-minute rebellions. They deserve firm, consistent defence," he said 

"I will continue to oppose Mercosur because Ireland’s farmers, standards and reputation are not bargaining chips,” he added.

The Athlone protest is expected to draw farming organisations, rural representatives and members of the public from across the country.