George Lawlor: Condemns Mercosur Deal as Threat to Irish Farmers
George Lawlor warned that the Mercosur trade agreement threatens Irish farmers, Ireland's climate commitments and food safety, and urged the government to oppose the deal. He accused the government of failing to secure sufficient EU support and said imports could be produced under weaker environmental and health standards.
Main criticism
George Lawlor criticised the Mercosur trade agreement as running counter to EU and Irish climate legislation and said it would incentivise further deforestation, biodiversity loss and environmental destruction in Mercosur countries, particularly Brazil.
Government failure on EU negotiation
He said that on the 9th of January the Taoiseach declared Ireland could not support a deal allowing beef from production systems that are not as carbon efficient or subject to the same standards as Irish agriculture - a point Lawlor argued was known for years. He accused the government of failing to garner sufficient support in Europe to defeat the proposal despite longstanding warnings from Irish MEPs and others.
Food safety and standards concerns
Lawlor highlighted arguments that the deal would create a double standard - Irish farmers face stringent climate and food-safety rules while imports could be produced under weaker pesticide, veterinary and environmental protections. He said even proposed EU safeguards had not convinced the government that food standards would be protected.
Environmental and economic consequences
He cited warnings that the agreement could incentivise deforestation in South America and noted the claim that Brazil could increase its national herd by 28 million head by 2034. Lawlor said the deal poses a threat to the economic fabric of rural communities dependent on beef and livestock.
Political accountability and labour issues
Lawlor recounted the IFA's demand that the Taoiseach clarify whether he had struck a backroom deal with Ursula von der Leyen to back Mercosur, and pressed concerns about workers' rights in South America as an additional reason the government must oppose the agreement.
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On the 9th of January, Kieshock Micheál Martin declared that Ireland cannot support a deal where imported beef comes from production systems not as carbon efficient and don't have the same stringent standards as Irish agriculture. He declared this as if this news had fallen from the sky. It was known for years, yet the Government failed miserably in garnering support to ensure that sufficient numbers were available to defeat this proposal in the EU. As part of the Programme for Government, the Coalition committed to work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in imposing the current Mercosur trade deal. Irish MEPs for years highlighted public health risks from allowing large volumes of beef produced under looser pesticide and veterinary rules into the EU market. Even after proposed EU safeguards, the Irish Government said it still had insufficient confidence in the measures to protect food standards, and yet it couldn't manage to convince enough of our colleagues in Europe of this. The rest of Europe seem content to have substandard food safety and standards, and allow hormones into their food chains. Environmental groups and Irish political figures argued for years that the deal could incentivise further deforestation in South America to expand cattle production. The thing is, we are being told that we are going to cut our national herd, but Brazil will be allowed to increase their national herd by 28 million head by 2034. As this motion states, the Mercosur trade agreement runs entirely counter to EU and Irish climate legislation, and will incentivise further deforestation, biodiversity loss and environmental destruction in Mercosur countries, particularly Brazil. This deal creates a double standards. Irish farmers face strict climate rules while competing with imports produced under weaker environmental protections. This totally contradicts EU climate ambitions, and also undermines Ireland's own commitments to sustainable agriculture. This deal is undoubtedly a threat to the economic fabric of rural communities that rely heavily on beef and livestock. As part of the programme from the government, the coalition committed to work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal. And yet, in the week before Christmas, the IFA called on Taoiseach Miohoel-Martin to clarify if he had done some backroom deal with Ursula von der Leyen to back Mercosur, and to sell out Irish beef and poultry farmers. Such was their level of suspicion about the government's stance on Mercosur. Other sectors will benefit, of course, but none of these sectors will be seeking to send substandard products to South America, be they tech or pharma or whatever. We also have the issue of workers' rights in South America. The government must oppose this. The government must oppose this.
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