Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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879. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements on the Mercosur Trade Agreement. [64000/25]

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, 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”.