IFA president Joe Healy has said the Dáil vote sends a very strong message to the Taoiseach and the Government that Ireland must reject this deal.

Last week, the IFA held a day lobbying all TDs and senators in Dublin, urging them to reject the deal.

The IFA also intensified its campaign in Europe to reject the deal.

Healy, along with IFA livestock chair Angus Woods and IFA poultry chair Andrew Boylan, met with representatives of the French, Belgian and Polish farmers’ organisations in Brussels last Wednesday as part of a campaign to build a European alliance against the Mercosur deal.

The IFA, in conjunction with the other EU farm organisations, has put forward proposals on an EU action plan against the Mercosur deal.

The IFA delegation also met with the newly re-elected first vice-president of the European Parliament, Mairead McGuinness.

This week, the IFA met with all of Ireland’s newly elected MEPs in Strasbourg.

“This deal will require the approval of the European Parliament. We believe that resistance to this sellout deal is growing across Europe,” he said.

The leaders of COPA, the European farm umbrella body, of which Joe Healy is vice-president, will also meet next week to discuss the deal.

Angus Woods said: “European beef farmers consider Mercosur as a sellout deal for the sector.”

IFA national poultry chair Andy Boylan said: “This deal undermines European quality assurance and promotes double standards.”