Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture, Martin Kenny, has called on Minister Charlie McConalogue to put on record his complete and unequivocal opposition to the Mercosur trade deal as he attends a meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council today and tomorrow in Brussels.

His call came as a published meeting agenda fails to mention the trade deal, which was signed off on last week by EU Commission president Ursula Von der leyen.

Teachta Kenny said:

“While of course I welcome discussions around the common agricultural policy are taking place today and tomorrow, it is a glaring omission not to set Mercosur as an agenda item.

“Mercosur must be raised, and I would urge Minister McConalogue to put on record a full and unconditional opposition to this trade deal.

“The signing of the trade deal last week is the only topic on the minds of farmers and their representative organisations in the last number of days.

“Only recently, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael MEP’s voted in favour of a new EU commission that is pro-Mercosur.

“In fact, Fine Gael MEP’s sit within the EPP grouping, who are strongly in favour of Mercosur.

“Farmers want to know exactly what Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin mean by opposing Mercosur ‘in its current form’, given that farmers have been quite clear in demanding a complete opposition to the deal.

“It is vital that Minister McConalogue expresses deep concern about the potential effects of Mercosur on behalf of beef exporting farmers, and indeed concern for the potential health implications faced by consumers who are worried about ingesting substandard South American beef once this deal is approved.

“I want to be clear – there are no conditions to Sinn Féin’s opposition to a deal that will decimate Irish beef exports. The same cannot be said for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

“Minister McConalogue must force a discussion on Mercosur with the Fisheries and Agriculture Council this week, given the deep worry it is causing farmers and rural communities across Ireland.”