Around 50 people showed up at the protest on Wednesday 4 May, with representation from the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association's (ICSA) national executive, alongside a number of beef farmers from counties around Ireland.

It was a cold but sunny day for a protest outside the European Commission offices on Lower Mount Street.

Patrick Kent, president of the ICSA, told the Irish Farmers Journal that the organisation was there to protest against the concessions being made in agriculture in order to facilitate Mercosur and TTIP agreements.

"We believe that beef should not be on the table – it should be non-negotiable," he said.

Edmond Phelan, ICSA beef chair, said that European agriculture, "in particular beef, is being sold out so that industrial countries can sell their cars into South America and America. If one takes into account the 78,000t tariff rate quota in the Mercosur talks, the possibility of a similar offer on TTIP and the concession of 50,000 tons to Canadian farmers under CETA, these deals have the potential to destroy the Irish beef trade."

President of the ICSA Patrick Kent also pointed out that it was unfair to provide free access to EU markets to external producers who do not have the same burden of cross compliance and regulation endured by European farmers.

Bringing in beef of a lower grade from countries with a lower standard of production is not acceptable, especially when Ireland produces beef to the highest level

"Our politicans need to get real on this and become more aware of the consequences of these deals," Kent said. "Bringing in beef of a lower grade from countries with a lower standard of production is not acceptable, especially when Ireland produces beef to the highest level."

The protest on Lower Mount Street ended with Kent handing in two letters to the Commission office, one for EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström and the other for the Irish Commission representation in Dublin.

The cohort then moved down Merrion Square to continue the protest outside Dáil Éireann.

Read more

McCarthy tells MEPs a 78,000t Mercosur beef quota will hurt EU farmers

France says 'non' to TTIP following leaked documents