Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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4. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his engagement with his Cabinet colleagues regarding the EU Mercosur trade agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24886/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to supporting free, fair and open trade. Our EU membership makes us part of the growing network of EU Free Trade Agreements, supporting more opportunity for exports and investment, helping support jobs and growth at home, maintaining strict EU standards on food safety, animal and plant health, and supporting better environmental and human rights standards around the world.

We have always been clear, however, that such agreements must defend our most vulnerable sectors and that our farmers’ livelihoods must not be undermined through weak or ineffective environmental standards in other countries. Our position is clearly outlined in the Programme for Government, which states that the Government will work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal.

Since the Commission announced the conclusion of negotiations, officials from my Department and other departments, including the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, have been working together to carefully analyse the text of the additional legal instrument. Furthermore, I and my officials have engaged with the Commission and with counterparts in other EU Member States to interrogate the outcome of negotiations to assess if our concerns have been adequately addressed.

Engagements with the Commission are continuing as we seek sufficient clarification on the priority areas of climate, biodiversity, deforestation and the protection of farmer's incomes. Ireland's position on the EU-Mercosur Agreement remains as clearly outlined in the Programme for Government.

The Government is committed to supporting free, fair and open trade. Our EU membership makes us part of the growing network of EU Free Trade Agreements, supporting more opportunity for exports and investment, helping support jobs and growth at home, maintaining strict EU standards on food safety, animal and plant health, and supporting better environmental and human rights standards around the world.

We have always been clear, however, that such agreements must defend our most vulnerable sectors and that our farmers’ livelihoods must not be undermined through weak or ineffective environmental standards in other countries. Our position is clearly outlined in the Programme for Government, which states that the Government will work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal.

Since the Commission announced the conclusion of negotiations, officials from my Department and other departments, including the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, have been working together to carefully analyse the text of the additional legal instrument. Furthermore, I and my officials have engaged with the Commission and with counterparts in other EU Member States to interrogate the outcome of negotiations to assess if our concerns have been adequately addressed.

Engagements with the Commission are continuing as we seek sufficient clarification on the priority areas of climate, biodiversity, deforestation and the protection of farmer's incomes. Ireland's position on the EU-Mercosur Agreement remains as clearly outlined in the Programme for Government.