Ballinakill Mart in Co Laois and Sixmilebridge Mart in Co Clare have moved to cancel their sales this Saturday in support of the anti-Mercosur protest taking place in Athlone.

Over 10,000 protesters are expected to arrive in Athlone for a public demonstration organised by Independent Ireland.

Support for the protest has gathered pace among farmers, farm organisations, hauliers and other political parties.

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Both marts would have been having their first sales back after the Christmas break. However, they have decided to reconvene next Saturday 17 January in order to "make a stand with our farmers against the Mercosur deal".

Vote

News broke from Brussels on Friday morning that the European Council had approved the EU-Mercosur trade agreement following a majority vote of member states.

Ireland, Poland, France, Austria and Hungary opposed the deal and Belgium abstained. Meanwhile, all other member states - including Italy - voted to approve it.

The move paves the way for the European Parliament to hold a vote on the deal in the coming weeks, where every MEP - including Ireland's 14 MEPs - will vote to approve or reject the deal.

Irish farm organisations have urged MEPs to vote against the deal in the upcoming parliamentary vote.