Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I want to acknowledge his absolute consistent support and adherence to a high-quality food production system in this country and agriculture. At the moment, the European Union currently imports around 200,000 tonnes of beef from Mercosur countries annually. What is being proposed now is that the Mercosur countries will be granted a beef quota of 99,000 tonnes subdivided into 55,000 fresh and 45,000 frozen, with an in-quota tariff of 7.5% to be phased in over six equal stages. The Government has been actively engaged with like-minded European Union countries to voice Ireland's concerns in relation to the EU-Mercusor agreement. The Deputy is correct that the EU has very stringent standards, which are known as sanitary and phytosanitary standards, SPS, to protect human, animal and plant life.

These standards are among the highest in the world and are non-negotiable. I cannot give a longer answer but the European Union, in the context of the latest agreement, has committed to increasing the number of audits and checks in third countries and to strengthening the SPS controls undergone. The reports identified by the Deputy have raised concerns.

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