Sharon Keogan warns Mercosur will 'spell ruination' for farmers
Sharon Keogan took the floor to raise Ireland's position on the Mercosur deal, urging the Taoiseach to appear before the chamber to explain why Ireland missed an EU meeting and to clarify the Government's plan to oppose the agreement. She said the deal would ruin Irish farmers—particularly the cattle sector—and criticised the Government for appearing absent while other EU countries organise to oppose the deal.
Call for the Taoiseach to answer
She called on the Taoiseach to appear before the chamber to answer for Ireland's reported absence from a meeting of EU nations led by France and to set out the Government's stance and plan for fighting the current Mercosur deal. The absence was reported by the Independent and prompted demands for immediate clarification.
Concerns for Irish farmers and the cattle sector
She argued the Mercosur deal "spells ruination for Irish farmers," saying Irish cattle producers cannot compete with the scale of South American industrial battery farming. She warned that free trade with South America would trigger a race to the bottom for the Irish economy and described biodiversity clauses as an inadequate safeguard if enforcement has previously been ignored.
EU counterparts and the blocking minority
The speech noted that Poland and France have committed to opposing the deal, Italy has signalled against it and Austria remains undecided. She emphasised that Ireland's decision will be decisive in forming the blocking minority needed to stop the agreement and that a vote will likely be held by this autumn.
Criticism of Government and call for action
She accused the Government of being "out to lunch" while other EU governments organise in defence of their farmers and urged colleagues to hold the Government to its promises. She warned that delay or compromise risks selling constituents and farmers out once again.
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Thank you. Today I would like to take to the floor to raise the question of Ireland's current position on the Mercosur deal. While I was glad to see that the Paragraph of Government contained commitments for fighting it, but I was then shocked and disappointed when the Independent reported that Ireland did not turn up to a meeting of other EU nations led by France who are also committed to fighting the current deal. I therefore call on the Taoiseach to appear before this chamber to answer for this incident and to clarify the Government's stance and the plan for fighting the current Mercosur deal. This deal spells ruination for Irish farmers, particularly our cattle sector, who simply cannot compete with the sheer scale of South American industrial battery farming. The vote will likely be held by this autumn and we cannot play coy and put off any action on the long finger. The Government says that they want to deal to contain biodiversity clauses for the South American nations, but since they have repeatedly ignored and falsified their way past similar regulations in the past, I see that this would be a suicidal compromise. Free trade with South America would inevitably spell a race to the bottom for our economy. Poland and France have committed to opposing the deal. Italy has signalled against it and Austria is on the fence. Colleagues, our decision as a nation will be decisive in forming the blocking minority that is needed to fight the deal, but instead our Government appears to be out to lunch while others are actively organising in defence of their own farmers. We must hold the Government on its promises because at this rate they look likely to let themselves be pushed over, selling our constituents and our farmers out once again.
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