Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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1442. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements on the Mercosur trade agreement. [59168/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Along with the Tánaiste, who has lead responsibility for trade policy, I have actively engaged with both the European Commission and with other Member States across the EU to voice Ireland’s concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Agreement.

During these engagements, the Tánaiste and I have also repeatedly emphasised Ireland’s requirements for credible, legally-binding commitments on matters relating to trade and sustainable development, including climate, biodiversity, and deforestation protections. We have repeatedly emphasised that beef in particular is a very sensitive sector, which is vulnerable to negative impacts from the Mercosur agreement.

Since my appointment as Minister earlier this year, I have raised these concerns at Agri-Fish Council meetings and also with like-minded Member States through bilateral meetings on the margins of these Council meetings. In recent months, I have met with my French, Austrian and Latvian and Polish counterparts to exchange views.

Ireland's position on the EU-Mercosur Agreement remains as clearly outlined in the Programme for Government: ‘Work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal”.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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1443. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he plans to safeguard Irish farm competitiveness in the face of ongoing EU trade negotiations, including Mercosur; if he will request mandatory safeguards to prevent Irish beef, dairy and tillage producers being undermined by imports produced to lower standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59169/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government is clear in its commitment to “work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal."

Irish and EU farmers are subject to complex regulations requiring them to farm in a sustainable manner, which is why it is important to ensure that farmers in Mercosur countries are subject to the same requirements.

As part of the European Commission’s recent announcement on the proposal for the ratification of the EU-Mercosur Agreement, the Commission has committed to increasing the number of audits and checks in third countries, and strengthening SPS controls on the ground.

More recently, the Commission has also brought forward a regulation on safeguards for sensitive agricultural products in the context of the EU-Mercosur Agreement. This proposed regulation makes a number of commitments regarding applying safeguard measures in terms of transparency, monitoring and speed of response. Ireland continues to engage with the Commission on this proposed regulation to seek clarity on these commitments.