The president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) Sean McNamara has warned the European Commission claims that it has written adequate farmgate price safeguards int the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement amount to “nothing more than a smokescreen”.

McNamara said that he sees no merit in having safeguards against a drop in beef prices when they can only kick in after Mercosur supplies depress prices for EU farmers.

The ICSA’s concerns with Mercosur will see its members protesting the deal at the gates of Leinster House on 13 November, as it had done in November of last year.

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“The Commission is talking about safeguards that would only kick in after a surge of cheap imports or a collapse in prices - but by then the damage will already be done,” the ICSA leader stated.

“Irish and EU farmers will be undercut long before Brussels decides to act.

'Too slow, too vague'

“These measures are too slow, too vague and too easy for the Commission to delay. They offer zero real protection for farmers on the ground.”

McNamara accused Brussels of attempting to push through Mercosur without adequate opportunity for debate on the deal and the safeguards included in it.

“Farmers deserve transparency and accountability, not backroom shortcuts that put their livelihoods on the line. Irish farmers have had enough empty reassurances,” he commented.

“We need our politicians to stand up now and stop this before irreversible damage is done.”

The association’s upcoming protest comes as McNamara said farmers are still waiting on “real action from the Government on this deal”.

“Their talk is cheap at this point. Our farmers deserve better and we intend to make sure they hear that message loud and clear.

“Every farmer who wants to defend their livelihood should join us in protest - we must stand united against this hypocritical and damaging deal.”