Clare Green Senator Lambasts "Insane" Mercosur Trade Deal

Clare FM

Clare's Green senator has lambasted what she's described as an "insane" international trade deal which will threaten small farmers' livelihoods. The EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, which is yet to be ratified by the Irish government, would see the removal of trade barriers between EU countries and Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, resulting in a €4 billion reduction in tariffs each year. If implemented, 99,000 tonnes of South America beef would enter the European Market each year and outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has previously stated his opposition to the deal in its current form. Inagh Green Party Senator Róisín Garvey says allowing South American beef to flood Europe would have a devastating effect on the Irish agricultural sector.