Thousands of farmers came together for a rolling tractor protest as part of a major national demonstration and rally in Athlone today, opposing the EU-Mercosur trade deal, reports RTE.
Independent Ireland arranged the substantial protest in Athlone, Co Westmeath, where numerous tractors assembled for a moving demonstration along the N6 motorway, followed by a number of speeches at the Technological University of the Shannon.
Gardaà had previously cautioned about major traffic disruptions in the region because of the event, reports RTE.
Yesterday, EU member states provided provisional approval for the trade agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, although it still requires endorsement from the European Parliament.
Ireland opposed the deal in its present shape, with key Cabinet members stressing that the talks have not reached a final stage.
Beef farmers fear that the agreement might endanger Irish beef shipments to Europe by allowing cheaper Brazilian beef onto the market, reports RTE.
Ireland joined four other EU nations—France, Austria, Hungary, and Poland—in voting against the pact during yesterday’s meeting in Brussels.
Twenty countries supported the proposal, while Belgium chose to abstain, securing the necessary qualified majority of at least 15 states and 65% of the EU population.
The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon stated that he understands the anger being voiced by farmers in Athlone today, and how they view this agreement as a “direct attack on their livelihood”, reports RTE.
“Our farmers produce some of the best, most nutritious, safest food in the world to the highest environmental standards that has been set down by the EU,” he said.
“Every year, farmers have upped their level of compliance with EU regulations around producing that food to a higher environmental sustainability standard, and now they see that they’re being asked that European consumers would take in food that’s produced to a lower environmental standard,” he explained, reports RTE.
Mr Heydon further noted that MEPs are free to decide their own position when voting on the EU-Mercosur deal in the European Parliament.
“MEPs are answerable to their constituents. They can reflect themselves, and they do very clearly,” he added.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) praised the Government’s decision to vote against the deal, arguing that the suggested protections in the text fail to guarantee that Brazilian beef will comply with EU standards, reports RTE.
President of the IFA Francie Gorman said he has always believed if the deal was to be stopped, it was going to be at European Parliament level.
Mr Gorman said today’s turnout shows how strongly farmers around the country feel about the deal.
“The message has to go back to our MEPs on foot of the vote yesterday at council level, that they have to work with their colleagues across Europe to make sure we get a majority of MEPs to oppose this deal, when it comes for ratification early in the spring,” he said, reports RTE.
Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly stated there must be solidarity in rejecting the Mercosur deal and urged all Irish MEPs to turn it down.
“We will fight together to oppose this deal, and I can tell you, no matter what you heard from Italy yesterday, Italian MEPs have told me this morning they will vote no, this is not over,” he said.
Speaking at the rally in Athlone, Mr Mullooly said farming organisations have united in opposition to the deal.
“Whether you’re in Dun Laoghaire or Dundalk, we have to say no to Mercosur,” he said, reports RTE.
Macra na Feirme President Josephine O’Neill told the crowd that the deal is “not free trade, but unfair trade” and added that young farmers “already face enormous barriers”.
“Access to land, rising costs, low margins, and constant uncertainty.
“Now we are telling them that even if they do everything right, their livelihood can still be undermined overnight,” she said.
“If we undermine farm income, we undermine generational renewal, if farms are no longer viable our young people cannot and will not stay.
“And without young farmers there is no future for Irish agriculture,” Ms O’Neill added, reports RTE.
Yesterday, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon 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”, reports RTE.
Deputy President of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association Eamon Carroll said the pressure is on MEPs now.
“It’s down to our MEPs at this stage, it’s hugely disappointing when you see other countries voting for this.
“It’s not over yet, it has a way to go yet and hopefully it can be turned around because if it isn’t, the credibility of the EU and this leadership comes into question,” he said.
Leader of Independent Ireland Michael Collins called today’s event against what he described as a “filthy rotten deal” a “stunning success”, reports RTE.
Speaking in Athlone, he said the Government allowed indecision to take control.
Among those at the rally was beef farmer Pat O’Hara from Granard, Co Longford.
Mr O’Hara held a sign that read “we tag, we test, we toil, we trace, all for what?”.
He said he is worried about the traceability of Brazilian beef, and that it could be of inferior quality, reports RTE.
His comments come days after confirmation that beef containing banned hormones entered the Irish market, something the IFA said should be a “wake-up call” for the Government.
Paul McGibney, who is also a beef farmer from Granard, said he was very disappointed with yesterday’s EU vote, but added that farmers “will keep fighting”.
He believes that if the deal goes through, the price of Irish beef could be “cut in half”, reports RTE.
Eoin Ryan from the Iveragh Co-op Mart in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry, also said he was worried about the quality of beef and the use of hormones in Brazilian beef.
Mr Ryan also outlined environmental concerns, saying “cutting down rainforest to produce beef, and fly it halfway across the world, doesn’t make sense”.
Chair of the IFA’s Donegal branch Joe Sweeney said: “We’ve had enough, we’re trying to stop this going through because it is going to have a big effect on the cattle and livestock in Ireland.
“In Ireland, we produce meat to a standard that is not happening from the countries this meat is going to come from. Why should they get away with it if we can’t?” reports RTE.
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