Sparked by the agreement of a trade deal between the EU and Mercosur, between 3,000 and 5,000 farmers and their families took to the streets of Dublin to voice their anger on Wednesday afternoon.

Beginning outside Government buildings, farmers marched to the gates of the Dáil chanting for fair trade and an end to the Mercosur trade deal.

One farmer at the protest said: "These Mercosur countries will chop half the rainforest in South America and it will affect our climate here."

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at the protest Beef Plan Movement co-chair Hugh Doyle said: "We're here, number one to try create farmer unity. We have three of the other farm organisations here. We're also trying to create rural unity."

He said rural Ireland had been forgotten by the people in Leinster House.

Opposition

Danny Healy-Rae said he stood with the protest because "we have taken enough dictation for long enough and no more".

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, whose party will bring a motion before the Dáil opposing the Mercosur deal, attended the protest.

The Beef Plan protest outside the Dáil. \ Philip Doyle

She said: "I regard it [the deal] as a betrayal of farm families, of beef farmers in particular. I think it's a real danger for the Irish economy as a whole because, despite all of our advances and new industry, agriculture is still the backbone of this island."

There were also representatives from other farm organisations at the protest.

Farm organisations

Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president Pat McCormack said the future of rural Ireland was at stake.

"It's long enough we were ignored but this Mercosur deal is trying to terminate the people of rural Ireland and it has to be stopped," he said.

The Beef Plan protest outside the Dáil. \ Philip Doyle

"What is wrong with our industry? The primary producer – whether you're a calf to weanling rearer, a suckler man, dairy-beef finisher – can't make a margin. Why can't they? Because our whole industry is monopolised and it's not monopolised by the farmer."

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmer Association (ICSA) president Edmond Phelan said three years ago the ICSA protested outside the Dáil against Mercosur. He said the Mercosur deal was "a bad deal that day and it is a bad deal today".

Phelan called on An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to stand up for Irish farmers and oppose the deal.