I support free and fair trade, and Ireland — as a small, open economy — relies on tariff-free international markets. The EU–Mercosur agreement offers real opportunities: deeper economic ties with South America, expanded export markets, and reduced tariffs for key Irish sectors like machinery and pharmaceuticals.
However, I cannot support the deal in its current form. It presents a direct and serious threat to Irish farmers, particularly our beef sector.
We should not abandon Mercosur, but we must secure stronger protections for EU producers. As things stand, the agreement risks opening EU markets to cheap, sub-standard beef produced under weak regulation, heavy antibiotic use, and lower environmental and welfare standards than those required in Europe. Approving the deal as is would legitimise a two-tier system — one where Irish and EU farmers compete unfairly with imports produced under far laxer rules.
A revised agreement must address these agricultural concerns and protect the integrity of EU standards.
Irish farmers are the backbone of rural Ireland. They power the local shop, the pub, the haulage sector and drive economic activity in small town rural Ireland. We cannot jeopardise our food security in Europe by opening our markets to sub standard food products produced to a lower environmental and regulatory standard.
