Farmers take part in rolling protest against Mercosur deal

Thousands of Irish farmers have participated in a rolling protest in the heart of the country as anger grows over the progression of the EU-Mercosur deal.

On Friday, the EU ambassador approved a trade deal with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay – but it still needs to be backed by the European Parliament.

The Irish Government voted against the deal in its current form, with senior Cabinet figures insisting that negotiations are not finalised.

The trade deal with the EU involves four Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Irish beef farmers are concerned that the deal could threaten their exports to Europe due to the introduction of lower-cost Brazilian beef.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) welcomed the decision of the Government to vote no against the deal, insisting the proposed safeguards in the document to do not give assurances that Brazilian beef will meet EU standards.

On Saturday, the Independent Ireland political party organised a large-scale protest in Athlone, Co Westmeath, which saw scores of tractors participate in a rolling demonstration along the M6 motorway before an indoor rally at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).

Thousands of people gathered to either participate in the protest by foot or shout encouragement along the route.

Gardai had warned of significant traffic delays in the area due to the demonstration.

Some participants held signs critical of senior Government figures such as Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris, as will as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Speaking ahead of the protest in Athlone on Saturday morning, Independent Ireland agriculture spokesman Michael Fitzmaurice said the attempt to stop the Mercosur deal is “far from over”.

The large demonstration was followed by a rally inside a sporting arena at TUS – where thousands of farmers listened to politicians and representatives of farming organisations deliver rousing speeches against the trade deal.

The event was led by Party MEP Ciaran Mullooly, who received a standing ovation.

Earlier, he said he would call on all Irish MEPs to vote no against the deal, adding: “There is opposition to this rotten trade deal right across the continent.”

Speaking to the Press Association during the protest, IFA president Francie Gormman said the strong turnout was a continuation of a “very strong no campaign to Mercosur”.

“Our message to MEPs is to follow suit with the Irish Government when they honoured the commitment in the Programme for Government to vote against this deal.

“Our MEPs now have to do the same and also work with MEPs across the spectrum in the European Parliament to build alliances and make sure they can build a majority vote against this deal which will probably be tabled some time in early spring.”

Sinn Fein agriculture spokesman Martin Kenny said the progression of the Mercosur agreement at the EU council was a “bad day” for Irish farming.

“While the Irish Government voted against the deal today, they had to be dragged kicking and screaming to this position by the combined opposition, the farm organisations and some of their own backbench TDs.”

Also at the protest, Green Party senator Malcolm Noonan told the Press Association that the demonstration was important for many reasons.

“We need to have a wider conversation about the sustainability of Irish farming and I think today is for the farmers themselves to vent their anger at the manner in which the Irish Government flipped and flapped on the issue.

“They secured the nitrates derogation – were held up very favourably by Europe on that and then waited to see what the vote was going to going to play out in Brussels, and then went against it, purely under pressure from the independents and from Independent Ireland.

“Excuse the pun, but it is doing policy on the hoof and it is disingenuous to Irish farming. ”

Mr Noonan called on the Government to think about the future in terms of generational renewal of farming, as well as regenerative practices.

Earlier in the week, Mr Harris said the European Commission should not “take for granted” that MEPs will back the deal. While he said it looked likely it would pass, he added: “It is not a done deal.”

He said “there’s still a window of time” to “outline the concerns that we have in relation to the agreement”.

He said the Government had not ruled out supporting the deal if “changes and improvements” are made around food safety and “parity” with environmental standards.

Mr Harris said Ireland “benefits from free trade” but that “it has to be free trade that doesn’t expect our farmers or our consumers to adopt a different set of standards”.