Concerns continue to be voiced about the Mercosur trade deal ahead of Friday’s crucial EU vote.
Ireland and France remain strongly opposed to the deal which would create the world’s largest free-trade zone, despite EU claims it would boost trade.
Athlone’s set to host a protest rally on Saturday with thousands of farmers are expected to attend.
Ireland South MEP, Carlow native Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, will not support the agreement and says; “It’s a no, no, no from me, it always was, it always will be, although I did vote for the safeguards before Christmas when we voted in Strasbourg, look the listeners know and the voters know I’m a stickler for standards and I’m very concerned not just about the farming standards but about the human health standards here”.
Macra President, Kilkenny woman Josephine O’Neill, has also expressed deep concern about the potential consequences of the proposed arrangement and is criticising the Irish Government for what she claims is its ongoing lack of a clear and decisive position on the issue.
She says; “The Mercosur agreement poses a very real threat to Irish farmers, particularly to the beef and poultry sectors that are already under immense pressure. Allowing increased imports of agricultural produce from countries operating to vastly different standards undermines the livelihoods of family farms and weakens the integrity of Irish and European food production.”
Ms O’Neill highlighted that Irish farmers are held to some of the highest environmental, animal welfare, and traceability standards in the world, while Mercosur countries are not required to meet equivalent criteria and notes; “This is not a level playing field. Irish farmers are being asked to do more every year, more regulation, more compliance, more environmental ambition, yet they are expected to compete with imports produced to standards that would not be permitted here,” she said.
The organisation she heads up is particularly concerned about the long-term impact the agreement could have on young farmers and rural communities.
Government meanwhile has outlined its own concerns however Taoiseach Micheál Martin hasn’t yet ruled out Ireland supporting the deal.
