By Avril Horan

LOCAL farmers will be ‘decimated’ by the Mercosur trade deal, Galway County Councillors have warned, as they hit out at MEPs for a failure to stand up for farmers.

Speaking at this month’s meeting of Galway County Council, Tuam Municipal District Cllr Karey McHugh Farag (Ind) criticised MEPs for what she said was a “lost opportunity.”

“We are a rural part of the country,” she said.

“The opportunity wasn’t used to stand with the farmer. Farmers will be crucified and decimated if products come onto the market that don’t meet the same stringent rules and standards.”

Earlier this month, MEPs in Strasbourg agreed to refer the terms of the Mercosur deal to the European Court of Justice, seeking a legal opinion on its compatibility with EU law.

The vote has significant implications for the timeline and future of the deal as a decision could take up to 18-24 months.

The Midlands-North-West constituency was divided on the vote. Nina Carberry (FG), Barry Cowen (FF and Ciarán Mullooly (Ind Ire) supported the referral.

Maria Walsh (FG) voted against sending the agreement to the court, while Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (Ind) was recorded as absent.

Under the deal, increased volumes of beef from Mercosur countries, particularly Brazil, could be exported to the EU at a reduced tariff rate of 7.5%. In return, EU exporters would gain improved access to Mercosur markets.

While Brazil already exports beef to the EU, the deal would provide more favourable terms.

Farmers’ youth organisation Macra welcomed the European Parliament’s decision to seek a legal opinion, describing it as a positive development.

“Given the extraordinary nature and scale of the agreement, Macra views the European Parliament’s call for a legal opinion from the Court of Justice as a constructive step,” the organisation said.

Concerns about the deal were echoed at a recent farmers’ protest in Athlone, where participants warned that many farming livelihoods are already under severe pressure.

At this month’s council meeting, Sinn Féin Cllr Dermot Connolly said farmers made their views “crystal clear” at the protest and accused some MEPs of inconsistency.

“They are speaking out of both sides of their mouth,” he said, a view also shared by Cllr Shaun Cunniffe (Ind Ire).

Cllr Connolly also raised the role of Bord Bia, calling for stronger action to protect Ireland’s reputation for high-quality, high-standard food production.

“The bull needs to be taken by the horns,” he said. “Those with responsibility cannot carry on like this. It’s simply not good enough.”

In December, Galway County Council wrote to all MEPs and TDs urging them to oppose the Mercosur trade deal, warning that it would “decimate the Irish beef industry through cheap and inferior imports from South American countries.”

Chief Executive Liam Conneally told councillors this month that, while he would remain outside political debate, he would support “anything that needs to be done to protect farmers and their trade.”

Comhairleoir Tomás Ó Curraoín (Rep SF) said farmers “must be supported” and broadened the discussion to include concerns about Ireland’s fishing sector.

“If you go out for a few mackerel or set lobster pots, you’ll have the Navy after you,” he said, “while supertrawlers are plundering our seas.

“We sold out in 1972, and now farming has gone the same way.”

He warned that farming and fishing are central to national food security and called for a radical rethink of Ireland’s relationship with Europe.

“We need to Brexit the hell out of Europe,” he said.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: Critical…Cllr Karey McHugh Farag.