Below are extracts from some Dáil debates where I continually raised the concerns of farmers and the agri-food sector on this proposal.
‘Food production in Europe must be protected in any Mercosur agreement’ – Deputy Brendan Smith
Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Brendan Smith, has reiterated that food production in Europe must be protected “at all costs” in any proposed Mercosur trade deal. In a Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Agriculture, Deputy Brendan Smith stressed that European food production must be safeguarded and that high production standards must be upheld.
“The standards maintained by Irish farmers are among the highest in the world and are non-negotiable. These standards must apply equally to food produced in EU Member States and, crucially, to imports from third countries to protect the health and safety of European consumers,” he said.
“Family farms are vital to our economy, and Irish beef is highly valued globally. We must ensure that Irish farmers are properly supported and that any beef imported from the Mercosur region is rigorously tested and held to the same standards as Irish produce.”
Fianna Fáil has consistently maintained that EU SPS standards must be strictly upheld in any Mercosur trade deal.
In his reply, the Minister reaffirmed his and the Government’s commitment to ensuring food safety standards are rigorously enforced for all imports. He also noted that in discussions with the European Commission and Member States he has emphasised Ireland’s need for credible, legally binding commitments in any agreement.
Concluding, Deputy Smith said:
“The beef sector is highly sensitive and vulnerable to negative impacts from the Mercosur agreement. The Commission has recently outlined its proposed approach to ratification, and we are examining the details closely to ensure the necessary assurances are provided.
“Pending that review, Fianna Fáil’s position remains unchanged as set out in the Programme for Government: we will work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and oppose the current Mercosur deal. I will continue to work with my Fianna Fáil and Government colleagues to ensure we do just that.”
Food Industry
Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday – 27 November 2025
Brendan Smith
Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals that he will outline at the EU Agriculture Council in relation to the absolute need to protect food production in Europe, with particular reference to the food sector in this country, in all discussions on the proposed Mercosur trade deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Programme for Government is clear, whereby it includes a commitment to “work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal”.
Irish and EU farmers are subject to complex regulations requiring them to farm in a sustainable manner, and we want the Commission to ensure that all food imports to the EU are farmed in a sustainable manner. We also want the Commission to ensure that food safety standards continue to be rigorously enforced in respect of all food products imported from third countries.
Along with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, who has lead responsibility for trade policy, I have actively engaged with both the European Commission and with other Member States across the EU to voice these and other concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Agreement.
During these engagements, we have also repeatedly emphasised Ireland’s requirements for credible, legally-binding commitments on matters relating to trade and sustainable development, including climate, biodiversity, and deforestation protections. We have repeatedly emphasised that beef in particular is a very sensitive sector, which is vulnerable to negative impacts from the Mercosur agreement.
Since my appointment as Minister earlier this year, I have raised these concerns at Agri-Fish Council meetings and also with like-minded Member States through bilateral meetings on the margins of these Council meetings. In recent months, I have met with my French, Italian, Austrian, Latvian and Polish counterparts to exchange views.
Ireland’s position on the EU-Mercosur Agreement remains as clearly outlined in the Programme for Government.
Dáil Éireann debate
Wednesday, 3 Dec 2025
Vol. 1077 No. 1
Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht
Questions on Policy or Legislation
Deputy Brendan Smith
My constituent Mr. Maurice Brady, who is highly regarded for his knowledge of the agrifood sector and who was recently elected regional vice president of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, has brought to my attention the detailed report from a recent fact-finding mission to Brazil by the IFA and Irish Farmers Journal, which has to be a further cause for real concern for the European Union in relation to the Mercosur trade deal. The Government must ensure that the best interests of the Irish agrifood sector are fully protected in these trade negotiations.
As the Taoiseach knows, this State has for many decades invested very heavily, along with the farming community, in building up a world-class agrifood industry. Our industry operates to very high standards from primary production with high welfare and biosecurity standards, exceptional traceability and sustainable processing systems. Europe must not be subject to imports of products, particularly beef and poultry, from systems that have much lower standards of production and monitoring. The proposed safeguarding regulation must be strengthened or there is the potential to do untold damage to not just the agrifood sector but to our overall national economy and employment.
The Taoiseach
I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I want to acknowledge his absolute consistent support and adherence to a high-quality food production system in this country and agriculture. At the moment, the European Union currently imports around 200,000 tonnes of beef from Mercosur countries annually. What is being proposed now is that the Mercosur countries will be granted a beef quota of 99,000 tonnes subdivided into 55,000 fresh and 45,000 frozen, with an in-quota tariff of 7.5% to be phased in over six equal stages.
The Government has been actively engaged with like-minded European Union countries to voice Ireland’s concerns in relation to the EU-Mercusor agreement. The Deputy is correct that the EU has very stringent standards, which are known as sanitary and phytosanitary standards, SPS, to protect human, animal and plant life.
These standards are among the highest in the world and are non-negotiable. I cannot give a longer answer but the European Union, in the context of the latest agreement, has committed to increasing the number of audits and checks in third countries and to strengthening the SPS controls undergone. The reports identified by the Deputy have raised concerns.
For Written Answer on : 18/12/2025
Question Number(s): 264
Question Reference(s): 73555/25
Department: Foreign Affairs and Trade
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome of discussions she has had with her counterparts in the EU in relation to the proposed EU/Mercosur trade deal, with particular reference to the need to protect the Irish agri-food sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The European Commission presented its final package on the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement on 3 September and its proposal for the adoption and approval of the agreement by the Council of the European Union and European Parliament. The package includes the consolidated text of the original agreement negotiated in 2019 and the additional legal instrument addressing trade and sustainability commitments, which was agreed in December 2024. It also includes several accompanying initiatives, which are intended to address agricultural sector concerns. They include a proposed legal act to operationalise safeguards to protect sensitive products, a financial safety net for farmers, and commitments on the alignment of production and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards.
We have always been clear that such free trade agreements must defend our most vulnerable sectors and that our farmers’ livelihoods must not be undermined through weak or ineffective environmental standards in other countries. This position is clearly outlined in the Programme for Government, which, in January 2025, stated that the Government will work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal. In our trade negotiations, we have always been guided by standing up for and defending the interests of Irish farmers, along with raising concerns on climate, biodiversity and deforestation.
It’s worth stating that imports from Mercosur must continue to comply with all EU standards that protect food safety, animal and plant health and animal welfare, as well as EU consumer interests. The agreement does not weaken these requirements in any way. In line with the ambition set out in the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Commission has committed to step up SPS import controls by increasing the number of audits and checks in third countries, and by strengthening controls on the ground. It is vital that these standards are vigorously upheld by the Commission to address the concerns of the farming community.
Over the past number of months, Government ministers and officials have continued to engage intensively at EU level with both the European Commission and with counterparts in EU Member States, including like-minded countries, to voice our concerns with the agreement and to interrogate the outcome of negotiations to assess if our concerns have been adequately addressed. The Government has also remained in regular contact with Irish stakeholders from the agriculture, environment and business sectors, as we sought to fully understand their concerns. Since taking on the role of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I have discussed international trade developments with my counterparts from a number of EU Member States, including at the Council of Trade Ministers.
It is important that we continue to assess the package in its entirety to understand if our concerns with the agreement have been adequately addressed. Pending that examination, Ireland’s position on the EU-Mercosur Agreement remains as clearly outlined in the Programme for Government.
Questions on Promised Legislation 18 Dec 2025
Deputy Brendan Smith
I join with others in extending every good wish for Christmas and the new year to all staff and Members of the Oireachtas. In the context of the proposed Mercosur deal, I again raise the detailed report from the IFA and the Irish Farmers’ Journal on their recent fact-finding mission to Brazil. That report again outlined very clearly how much inferior food production is in Brazil and elsewhere in South America in comparison to the standards in this country and throughout the European Union. We should continually highlight that for decades, this State has invested very heavily, as has the farming community, in building successfully a world-class agrifood industry. Day in, day out, our farmers and processors work extremely hard on maintaining our food production systems to exceptionally high standards. There is a cost on the farming community in maintaining those standards, including high welfare and biosecurity standards and traceability.
Our beef and poultry sectors are extremely concerned about the potential for totally unfair competition if inferior product is allowed into the European Union. The proposed safeguarding regulations need to be substantially strengthened. Our agrifood sector’s concerns about this proposed trade deal must be robustly and vigorously outlined and advanced in all discussions by Government at EU level.
The Tánaiste
I thank the Deputy and Nollaig shona dó. On the points he made about the Mercosur deal, they are points made by the Taoiseach, myself, the Minister for agriculture and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Farmers in Ireland have expressed very serious views. The Irish Farmers’ Journal has revealed concerning information, as the Deputy said, following its trip to Brazil as well. As the Taoiseach said this morning, we now see safeguards have been published. We need to have a greater understanding of them but also of any additionality or further work that can be done about that.
There should not be a rush into a quick vote on this. We are continuing to work with like-minded countries that share our significant concerns.
We continue to ascertain if a blocking minority exists as well. Our programme for Government commitment remains.
