Broader geopolitical upheaval has shifted the outlook towards the Mercosur deal within Europe, the Macra conference was told.

Delivering his keynote speech, MEP Billy Kelleher said that the importance of ratifying the agreement with the South American trading bloc is now viewed in a different light since the return of president Trump to the White House earlier this year.

Acknowledging that in wider farming circles, there is a view that Mercosur is something which should be rejected, the change in mood coming from Washington DC towards global trade has altered viewpoints within the EU.

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“The Irish Government has stated clearly, we won’t support it and we as [Irish] MEPs have great concerns about it.

“But there is another train of thought, and it’s that the broader Irish economy would definitely benefit, and it is highly likely that the dairy industry in Ireland would also benefit because it would have access to a massive population in Latin America.

“But we have to be conscious that the beef sector is very concerned about this, and it’s about trying to get those balances right.”

Stressing the importance of negotiations on the deal, he said it was unlikely that there would be a unanimous ratification of the Mercosur agreement in the EU. However, he struggled to see how a blocking minority could be formed.

“You need a blocking minority of 35% of the population of the EU and I don’t think that is there at the moment because we’d need France, Poland and four other countries.”

He also told delegates that Ireland is well positioned within the EU as long as “we mind our reputation and make sure that everything is done in accordance with best practice and standards. We must maintain those high standards so that we at least have a competitive edge.”

However this can also make it difficult when trying to secure support for policies like the nitrates derogation or for live exports, he added, as other countries won’t want to give us that competitive advantage.