Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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51. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to his meeting with the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, recently, whether the Irish Government's position on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement was discussed; and whether the programme for Government commitment to oppose the agreement was communicated to him. [41237/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Mauro Vieira, visited Ireland from Saturday 12 July to Wednesday 16 July. Over the course of his visit, Minister Vieira held engagements with a series of interlocutors, including President Higgins, and the Ireland-Brazil Parliamentary Friendship Group. I met with Minister Vieira on Monday 14 July in Iveagh House.

The meeting was an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations, relations between the European Union and the Latin America and Caribbean region, wider global challenges, as well as to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Brazil.

Minister Vieira raised the issue of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement, outlining Brazil’s position on the agreement. I informed Minister Vieira that Ireland’s stance on the agreement remains unchanged and that Ireland remains concerned that the agreement, as it stands, does not provide the necessary legally binding assurances and protection of farmers’ incomes that Ireland insisted upon throughout the negotiations. I further informed Minister Vieira that Ireland will continue to engage with the European Commission and will assess the final consolidated agreement once it has been sent to Member States to understand if our concerns with the agreement have been adequately addressed.