I welcome the farmers who are in the Gallery this evening. Nobody is buying it. For years the Government sat on the fence about whether it would support or oppose the Mercosur trade deal when it came to a vote. Not until the day before a vote was due, when thousands of farmers were organising to take to the streets and when it knew the deal was going to pass anyway, did it finally come out and say it was against this deal. In the time it was dithering, it failed to build a blocking minority with other EU member states and now Irish farmers are left to deal with the consequences of that failure and the likelihood of the deal passing. The deal opens the door further to a substandard product, directly threatens our beef industry and family farms, and puts food safety and security at risk. The Government needs to give a full account of the actions it has taken. The amendment and the Minister of State's speech have not set that out, as has been claimed. The motion is an opportunity for the Government to finally take action. The Minister of State said he would voice concerns but he has avoided the key questions, and deliberately so. If it really opposes the Mercosur trade deal, will the Government whip all its MEPs to vote against it? Will it engage with MEPs from across the EU to vote against it? Will it support the legal action being taken to stop the ratification of this trade deal? These are the questions the Minister of State must answer tonight. The motion outlines the practical steps that can be taken at this late stage to stop this disastrous deal. There will not be a level playing field for Irish farmers, who follow the highest standards in food production, sustainability and traceability. Even at this late stage, the Government must do everything in its power to oppose the Mercosur deal. I call on the Government to support the motion and finally stand up for Irish agriculture.

Sentiment score: 0.01