Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson Martin Kenny believes that it’s all to play for where the EU/Mercosur trade deal is concerned. His party is trenchantly opposed to the deal on the table.

“The Irish Farmers Journal investigation into standards in the Brazilian beef sector has raised serious concerns. Every Irish and European consumer needs to be aware of the complete contrast in production and traceability standards that exist.”

“We had the bilateral safeguards voted through without any amendments from any government, Ireland included. Those safeguards don’t go far enough at all,” continued Kenny.

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“There has to be a 10% drop in beef price per annum to trigger supports, but you have to prove that the price drop is a consequence of Mercosur, which is a concern, that’s a very high bar.”

Kenny believes that opposition to Mercosur is building.

The Oireachtas Agriculture Committee met online with their Polish counterparts last week, and were encouraged by the strength of the opposition to the trade deal that was expressed.

On Tuesday evening, they held a similar meeting with the economic committee of the French parliament. Again, outright opposition to Mercosur was evident, Kenny said.

Kenny believes that Austria is willing to join forces with Ireland, France and Poland, which would be enough to stop the deal, and that Italy is still in play.

Sinn Féin will host a public meeting on Mercosur next week. Martin Kenny will join senator Joanne Collins, who sits with him on the agriculture committee, and climate spokesperson Pa Daly to speak on “Mercosur – What now?” next Monday 1 December in Longcourt Hotel, Newcastlewest, Limerick, at 7pm.