Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important and timely motion and thank Deputies Kenny and Newsome Drennan for tabling it. The purpose and intent of the motion is to send a clear, unequivocal message that Ireland must stand up for its farming families and rural communities by opposing the Mercosur trade deal. This agreement is a bad deal on every front. It is a bad deal for Irish agriculture because it threatens our world-class standards with an influx of substandard imports. It is a bad deal for consumers because it undermines public health, food safety and traceability. Moreover, it is a bad deal for our environment because it promotes a model of production that fuels deforestation.

All the main farming organisations stand united in their opposition to the deal, and they recognise the existential threat it poses to their members’ livelihoods. The Government’s response has been dangerously lacklustre. Their wait-and-see, it-will-be-all-right-on-the-night approach is a dereliction of duty. Negotiations are finished. The deal is done, but it is not too late to stop it.

The Minister had ten minutes in which to make his contribution. He used his ten minutes to say absolutely nothing. It was a running commentary using language to the effect that the Government "continues to examine" the deal and continues to engage. In his words, "It is fair to say that, right now, it is far from clear that a blocking minority exists." What about the Government’s efforts to build a blocking minority?

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