Sinn Féin Poblachtach opposes the EU Mercosur Deal and extend our support to the Agricultural industry at the news of the Deal being passed by the EU.

The Mercosur deal is a Free Trade and Partnership agreement between the EU and South American countries Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay & Uruguay. This deal would allow EU member states to import cheap beef and minerals in exchange for Chemicals, Machinery & Pharmaceutical being exported to the South American countries. 

If the deal is passed by European MEPs it has the potential to decimate the Irish Beef industry in the Twenty-Six Counties. We have already seen the destruction of Ireland’s fishing industry at the hands of the EU, don’t let our Farmers go the same way!

The Agricultural industry is the backbone of the Irish economy. It’s the largest home grown industry that we have, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs not to mention the other industries heavily reliant on it. More than that, it is the backbone of rural Ireland. The destruction of Irelands agricultural industry would lead to severe consequences for rural Ireland and a further erosion of Irish culture. 

Many people outside rural Ireland fail to grasp the true importance of the agricultural industry. Some belief that our future lies from employment from multinational companies. However, we are already seeing these companies slowly making employees redundant as they plan to move their operations to countries with cheap labour costs like India and Eastern Europe. This is due to rising costs to operating in Ireland as a result of the cost of living crisis. It’s highly likely in twenty to thirty years, our ‘office’ jobs and pharmaceutical industry will no longer be here. They moved from the USA to Ireland, do not think for one second they won’t leave Ireland! Undermining our Agricultural industry in favour of short term, corporate interests would be a grave mistake with long lasting consequences for Ireland as a whole.

While the Free State government has rightly raised strong objections to the deal, they have already indicated they are willing to impose a forced cull of the Irish livestock to meet climate change requirements. While they claim to defend the interests of Irish farmers, they will happily sell out the farmers for the Mercosur deal so long as they get something in return.

We call on all to support our farmers, and voice their objections to the deal. We must not sell out to line the pockets of the EU at the expense of the Irish people.

Críoch

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