Ireland’s four Fine Gael MEPs voted against an amendment to a report on foreign and security policy which called on the European Commission to abandon the signing of the EU-Mercosur deal.

Ireland's programme for government says that the Government will work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend Irish interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal.

A number of amendments were made to the report, which was compiled by the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs. Among them was amendment 53 which was tabled by The Left Group in the parliament and listed independent MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan as proposers.

The amendment “calls on the Commission and the member states to definitively abandon the signing the EU-Mercosur agreement, as it is detrimental to European farmers, undermines the agricultural and food sovereignty of the union, and presents significant risks to public health and the environment.”

In a vote on the amendment earlier this month, Fine Gael’s Nina Carberry, Regina Doherty, Seán Kelly and Maria Walsh voted to reject the amendment.

Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews and Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin also rejected it.

The amendment was supported by Independent Ireland’s Ciaran Mullooly, independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Sinn Féin’s Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion, and Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Barry Cowen.

The amendment failed to pass and was rejected by 324 votes to 266 with 88 abstentions, which included Independent Ireland’s Michael McNamara.

Concern

Another amendment stated that the report “takes note of the conclusion of the agreement with Mercosur; expresses concern regarding its potentially negative impact on EU sustainability and safety standards and on the competitiveness of the EU agri-food sector, and underlines that parliament must examine whether the agreement meets the EU sustainability standards and complies with the reciprocity principle, before ratification can be considered”.

This amendment was supported by Mullooly, Flanagan, Boylan, Funchion, Cowen, Kelleher, Ní Mhurchú, Carberry, Kelly and Walsh. It was rejected by Andrews and Ó Riordáin.

MEP for the midlands north west Mullolly expressed disappointment at the lack of unity among Irish MEPs, particularly Fine Gael, on the deal. MEP Walsh said that she has made her opposition to the Mercosur deal in its current format very clear.

“My position aligns with that of the Irish Government. It is a position that is very well known within the EPP and the European Parliament, as well as most importantly by my constituents,” she said.