Carol Nolan warns Mercosur deal risks farmers and agri-food jobs
Carol Nolan spoke in the Dáil about the proposed Mercosur trade deal, warning it would threaten farmers, agri-food jobs and food safety. She called on the government to clarify its position and to notify the EU Commission of an outright objection to the deal in its current format.
Carol Nolan said she had met all of the farming organisations and set out the scale of the risk, noting over 170,000 people are employed in the agri-food sector. She said farming livelihoods must be protected at all costs and that farmers need straight answers from government on the proposed deal.
The speaker raised specific health concerns about hormones in beef entering EU markets under the Mercosur arrangements. She argued that such health and market risks would compound threats to farming incomes and consumer confidence if the deal were ratified.
Carol Nolan called on government to give clarity to farmers on its position and to notify the EU Commission of an outright objection to the deal in its current format. She warned that livelihoods are at stake and that the broader economy will suffer should the agreement be ratified.
A government minister replied that the government could not be any clearer, saying concerns and opposition had been set out in the programme for government and in a recent Dáil debate. The minister also said the issue had been raised in Brussels and at Agri-Fish Council meetings and that Ireland was working with like-minded countries who share those concerns.
Farmers' concerns and livelihoods
Carol Nolan said she had met all of the farming organisations and set out the scale of the risk, noting over 170,000 people are employed in the agri-food sector. She said farming livelihoods must be protected at all costs and that farmers need straight answers from government on the proposed deal.
Health and market risks
The speaker raised specific health concerns about hormones in beef entering EU markets under the Mercosur arrangements. She argued that such health and market risks would compound threats to farming incomes and consumer confidence if the deal were ratified.
Call for government action
Carol Nolan called on government to give clarity to farmers on its position and to notify the EU Commission of an outright objection to the deal in its current format. She warned that livelihoods are at stake and that the broader economy will suffer should the agreement be ratified.
Government response and international action
A government minister replied that the government could not be any clearer, saying concerns and opposition had been set out in the programme for government and in a recent Dáil debate. The minister also said the issue had been raised in Brussels and at Agri-Fish Council meetings and that Ireland was working with like-minded countries who share those concerns.
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Transcript
I want to raise issues regarding the Mercosur deal in its proposed format. There are huge concerns among farmers and indeed I have met all of the farming organisations about this issue. They have raised concerns directly with me. We have over 170,000 people employed in our agri-food sector. We have farming livelihoods that must be protected at all costs. Farmers need straight answers on the government's position in terms of this proposed deal, which is reckless and that is not to say about the health concerns in terms of hormones in the beef coming into the EU markets. What I am looking for today is I am calling on government to give clarity to farmers who are asking the question about government's position and also calling on government to notify the EU Commission of our outright objection to this deal in its current format because livelihoods are at stake and also, as I say, our economy will suffer should this deal be ratified. Go raibh maigit. Thank you very much, Nolan, for raising this important issue. But just to reassure you, government cannot be any clearer on our position in relation to the Mercosur proposals. We clearly outlined in our programme for government in two and a half hours of a debate here in the Dáil last Thursday. I discussed it at length and put very clearly on the record of this House our concerns and our opposition to that in that form and how we are working with our like-minded countries who share those concerns in relation to Mercosur as well. You know, I have raised it in Brussels out at Ag Fish Council meetings, as has Detonished as well in his role of trade, and we continue to work with like-minded countries who share those concerns. So hopefully, as a result, the cardinals are both. The cardinals are both. It's a special place. The cardinals are both. The cardinals are both. The cardinals are both.