Mercosur must be the Irish Governments line in the sand against EU hypocrisy. -Michael Collins TD
“Those states may get to live the trade dream. We will be left living with the nightmare of a decimated beef sector for many years to come.”
The leader of Independent Ireland Michael Collins has delivered an emotional and defiant speech calling on Government to vindicate the rights of Irish farmers to maintain their existence against the overwhelming financial threat posed by the European Commission’s Mercosur trade deal.
The Cork South-West TD made his remarks during the course of Dáil statements on the agreement which saw a unified opposition highlighting the dangers posed both by the economic and environmental implications of its endorsement.
He added, “We know the dedication it takes to keep a farm alive. We know what it means when fathers and mothers dream of passing that land onto their children. Farming is not a job; it is in the blood, but our farmers are exhausted. They are buried under paperwork, strangled by bureaucracy and squeezed by regulations on nitrates. Now, if this Mercosur deal goes ahead, it will be the wipe-out of Irish farming. I urge the House to reject this agreement and to send a strong message to Brussels: Ireland will not sacrifice its standards, its farmers or its future.”
Deputy Collins also welcomed the farming organisations who were represented in the Dáil Gallery during the debate, noting that it was the third time they have been present during the past week “fighting for the survival of their members.”
Since the debate took place further details have emerged regarding illegal animal antibiotic use in the Brazilian beef industry. The details were established by the Irish Farmers Association and the Irish Farmers Journal.
“Growth hormones that are banned in Europe are still widely used in Brazil. There is no EU inspection system on the ground and past experience shows that meat cleared by Brazilian authorities has failed EU safety tests. Irish farmers however have built a reputation for quality, traceability and sustainability. That reputation is not just a market slogan; it is a foundation of rural livelihoods. Yet, this deal risks flooding the market with beef at €3.50 per kilo compared with €9 or €10 for quality Irish beef. How can our farmers compete with that?”
“This is why voices like Ciaran Mullooly, our Midlands-North-West MEP, have been campaigning tirelessly in Brussels to block this agreement. He has warned that this is not just an economic issue; it is a question of food safety, climate responsibility and fairness.”
“Mercosur has to be the line in the sand.”
“Government must go back to the Commission and say, this far and no further. We will not sit back and rely on hollow language around safeguards while our brothers and sisters, our fathers and mothers and our rural communities are driven to point of collapse just to satisfy the trade fantasies of Germany and other member states.”
Deputy Collins concluded, “Those states may get to live the trade dream. We, however, will be left living with the nightmare of a decimated beef sector for many years to come. There is no scenario in which this outcome will be acceptable to me or my party.”
