Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

My constituent Mr. Maurice Brady, who is highly regarded for his knowledge of the agrifood sector and who was recently elected regional vice president of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, has brought to my attention the detailed report from a recent fact-finding mission to Brazil by the IFA and Irish Farmers Journal, which has to be a further cause for real concern for the European Union in relation to the Mercosur trade deal. The Government must ensure that the best interests of the Irish agrifood sector are fully protected in these trade negotiations.

As the Taoiseach knows, this State has for many decades invested very heavily, along with the farming community, in building up a world-class agrifood industry. Our industry operates to very high standards from primary production with high welfare and biosecurity standards, exceptional traceability and sustainable processing systems. Europe must not be subject to imports of products, particularly beef and poultry from systems that have much lower standards of production and monitoring. The proposed safeguarding regulation must be strengthened or there is the potential to do untold damage to not just the agrifood sector but to our overall national economy and employment.

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