An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he won’t hesitate to vote against any trade agreement that he believes is not in Ireland’s economic interest and Ireland “would form alliances to block it”.
In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal on Wednesday evening the Taoiseach said that whatever happens in regard to Mercosur the Government “will ensure and do everything [it] can to ensure that the interests of Irish beef farmers are protected”.
“That means making sure that South American beef producers have to meet same food safety and traceability standards as our own farmers do. That means ensuring that South American countries have to honour their commitments to climate change under the Paris Agreement.
“And it means compensating farmers for loss of markets perhaps by opening up other market opportunities in other places like Japan and Mexico and China for example.
“We will do a full economic and environmental assessment on the consequences of the Mercosur deal recognising the fact that this is a market of 250m people and while there may be losses for some sectors there could be significant benefits for others and we need to look at that in the round,” he said.
The deal
His comments come following the agreement last week between the EU and Mercosur bloc of countries which will see 99,000t of South American beef allowed access to the EU market.
Some 180,000t of poultry and 25,000t of ractomine-free pork will also have access to the EU market.
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An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he won’t hesitate to vote against any trade agreement that he believes is not in Ireland’s economic interest and Ireland “would form alliances to block it”.
In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal on Wednesday evening the Taoiseach said that whatever happens in regard to Mercosur the Government “will ensure and do everything [it] can to ensure that the interests of Irish beef farmers are protected”.
“That means making sure that South American beef producers have to meet same food safety and traceability standards as our own farmers do. That means ensuring that South American countries have to honour their commitments to climate change under the Paris Agreement.
“And it means compensating farmers for loss of markets perhaps by opening up other market opportunities in other places like Japan and Mexico and China for example.
“We will do a full economic and environmental assessment on the consequences of the Mercosur deal recognising the fact that this is a market of 250m people and while there may be losses for some sectors there could be significant benefits for others and we need to look at that in the round,” he said.
The deal
His comments come following the agreement last week between the EU and Mercosur bloc of countries which will see 99,000t of South American beef allowed access to the EU market.
Some 180,000t of poultry and 25,000t of ractomine-free pork will also have access to the EU market.
Read more
Exclusive: Brazil must reverse deforestation under Mercosur deal
Weekly podcast: Hogan addresses farmer fury on Mercosur and ICSA blockade Kepak
Rural TDs to seek Dáil debate on Mercosur
Mercosur trade deal agreed
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