Pressure’s mounting on the Irish Government to do all it can to stop the Mercosur trade deal from being agreed.
Sinn Féin brought forward a motion to the Dáil last night calling on the State to ask its MEPs to continue fighting the European agreement.
The partyclaims Irish farmers will be the big losers should current plans proceed.
Member states have approved the deal, despite Ireland’s opposition and it’ll now be sent to the European Parliament for a separate vote.
Sinn Fein’s Agriculture Spokesperson Martin Kenny accused Government of trying to “ride both horses” when it comes to the deal with party colleague Donna McGettigan agreeing the Government has tried to have it both ways by opposing it at the last minute.
However, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Neale Richmond says the opposition is conveniently ignoring all the hard work done by Irish officials to improve the Mercosur deal.
He adds his team’s doing all they can given its status and influence in Europe.
Meanwhile, Macra President, Kilkenny woman Josephine O’Neill, at the IFA’s AGM yesterday raised the issue and a host of others facing young farmers with Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon, calling for urgent action on supports.
She asked; “Considering the huge uncertainty surrounding Mercosur and the statistics of young farmers, waiting until CAP 2028 is too late to commit to young farmers. So what do you and your Department propose in the immediate future to support young farmers and ensure that farming is a viable and attractive career for future farmers?”
In response, the Minister stated that “taxation is our single greatest support to generational renewal.”
While acknowledging the role taxation measures can play, O’Neill said that taxation alone is not enough to address the scale of the challenge facing generational renewal in Irish farming.
“Taxation supports are important, but they cannot be the only answer. We need far more work to normalise conversations around succession at farm level and to actively encourage and support families to plan for the future,” she said.
O’Neill emphasised that the recommendations already made by the Commission on Generational Renewal must be accelerated and implemented well before 2028.
“The tools, research and recommendations already exist. What is missing is urgency. Young farmers need certainty, confidence and visible commitment now — not in three or four years’ time,” she added.
She concluded by stressing that without immediate action, Ireland risks losing an entire generation of potential farmers.
“If we are serious about food security, rural vitality and the future of farming, then generational renewal must move from rhetoric to action. Waiting until the next CAP risks leaving young farmers behind.”
