Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This morning, members of the Irish Farmers Association have gathered at the European Commission's office in Dublin to protest against the Commission's offer of a 70,000 tonne beef quota to Argentina, Brazil and other Mercosur countries, as reported recently. All the main farming organisations across this island have quite rightly opposed this move. Farming organisations agree that there must be a commitment to remove beef and poultry from the agreement or risk destroying one of our biggest and most internationally reputable industries. If the reports of the 70,000 tonne quota are true, then our beef sector and livelihoods of farmers are being sacrificed for a deal with South America. This would create huge difficulties at any time but given the unfolding risk of Brexit, particularly for rural Ireland and its agri-food industry, these difficulties are magnified.

Irish farmers have stood up in the past against Brazilian beef imports. They did so for economic reasons but also to safeguard our high standards in animal welfare and health. How can this quantity of beef be accepted from states which do not observe the most basic standards?

The Taoiseach will be aware - he was at the ploughing championships - that farm income is reaching disastrously low levels, especially for small farmers but instead of coming up with measures to tackle this problem to take farmers out of the risk of poverty, the Commission is pushing ahead with its cheap food policy as well as other free trade agreements, such as the New Zealand free trade agreement and the Canada-EU trade agreement.

In a recent video message, the Taoiseach stated that he was very much in favour of the Mercosur deal because free trade makes everyone better off by creating jobs and revenues, although he has acknowledged that there is a particular concern for our Irish beef sector. This seems to be a completely contradictory statement. The Taoiseach then goes on claim that he wants to make sure that we insist on the highest standards of animal welfare and also health and safety, and also make sure that our beef farmers are competing on a level playing field. Riddle me this. What does that mean? Will the Taoiseach tell us exactly what that means because he does not state that he will block the deal?

The Taoiseach has been a cheerleader, like his Fianna Fáil partners, for free trade deals. For example, the Canada-EU trade agreement, which the Taoiseach defended yesterday, will allow for up to 65,000 tonnes of beef to be imported into the EU tariff free along with 65,000 tonnes of pork. The Mercosur states already supply up to 75% of third country beef imports to the EU market and giving them greater access would be a huge mistake. I am asking the Taoiseach to intervene and be clear, to make it plain to the Commission that it should not proceed with this trade deal.

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