Farming organisations, marts, agri-businesses and Sinn Féin are among the groups that have announced their intention to attend Independent Ireland’s anti-Mercosur protest in Athlone on Saturday.

The Irish Farmers Association, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association and Macra have thrown their weight behind the demonstration.

Independent Ireland MEP for the midlands-north-west Ciarán Mullooly has said that, despite his party’s role in organising the show of opposition to the free trade deal, the protest will be non-party political.

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“We have invited all MEPs, all political parties’ spokespersons and we have invited the Minister for Agriculture. It will be a show of strength and solidarity,” Mullooly told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“This is not going to be Independent Ireland taking over, it is about sending a very clear message to Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Tánaiste Simon Harris that Ireland needs to be actively opposing Mercosur, rather than just sitting on the fence.”