Council calls for MEPs to reject Mercosur

Elected members of Cavan County Council are calling on Ireland’s 14 MEPs to reject the EU–Mercosur trade deal, warning that it could have a disproportionate and damaging impact on Irish farmers.

Independent Ireland councillor Shane P. O’Reilly said there was far too much indecision surrounding the agreement.

“We can talk and talk until the cows come home, but there is far too much sitting on the fence. The only thing you’ll get from sitting on the fence is splinters,” he said.

Cllr O’Reilly was speaking after attending a rolling tractor protest in Athlone at the weekend, organised by his party as part of a national demonstration and rally attended by thousands. He stressed that last week’s vote by EU member states to give provisional clearance to the Mercosur deal does not mark the end of the process.

Ireland was one of five EU countries - along with France, Austria, Hungary and Poland - to vote against the agreement at a meeting in Brussels.

Cllr O’Reilly was highly critical of national media coverage, which he said portrayed the decision as a fait accompli. He pointed out that the matter will now come before a plenary session scheduled for January 18-19.

“It’s now over to them,” he said, referring to Ireland’s 14 MEPs. To date, 11 have indicated they will vote against the trade deal with others from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Those who have expressed support for the deal include Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly and Regina Doherty, and Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews.

“We need to put the green jersey on,” Cllr O’Reilly said.

While unsure whether a party whip system could be applied to European parliamentarians, he suggested it should be considered. He also welcomed the “belated” decision by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris to state Ireland’s opposition to the deal in its current form.

The Government has not, however, ruled out supporting the agreement if changes and improvements are made.

Cllr O’Reilly outlined a number of criticisms of the deal, with Irish concerns centred on the threat posed to Irish beef producers by lower-cost Brazilian imports. He said Irish farmers produce some of the best, most nutritious and “safest food” in the world, meeting high EU environmental and welfare standards, and questioned why Europe would accept food produced to lower standards.

His motion to write to the 14 Irish MEPs was supported by Fine Gael councillor T.P. O’Reilly, who said it was a commitment in the Programme for Government to oppose Mercosur.

“We must show a united front,” Cllr O’Reilly (FG) said.

Sinn Féin councillor Damien Brady described Mercosur as a “bad deal” for Ireland and Irish farmers, highlighting recent IFA investigations which found Brazilian beef containing banned hormones had entered the Irish food chain.

Under the proposed agreement, 99,000 tonnes of Mercosur beef would be allowed into the EU market at a 7.5% tariff- equivalent, Cllr Brady said, to four million head of cattle.

“All Irish farmers want is a level playing field,” he said. “It’s time to call a halt to the deal.”

There were more measured contributions, including from dairy farmer and Fine Gael councillor Winston Bennett, who opposed the deal in its current format but noted that the 99,000 tonnes would consist of “prime cuts”.

“There has to be a clause,” he said, calling for a phased introduction of imports.

Fianna Fáil councillor Philip Brady said the farming community was the backbone of rural Ireland, recalling the IFA’s “Enough is Enough” campaign.