'Unacceptable that Tánaiste refuses to tell the Dáil how government intends to vote on Mercosur'

Sligo/Leitrim Martin Kenny TD, has described as 'unacceptable' the Tánaiste’s response to Pearse Doherty in the Dáil in relation to Ireland opposing the Mercosur trade agreement.

Teachta Kenny said:

“We are just two weeks away from the EU council meeting that will vote to ratify the Mercosur trade agreement. My colleague Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste in the Dáil today a straightforward question: Will the government oppose the deal at the EU council meeting, yes or no?

“It is completely unacceptable at this stage that the government cannot be honest with the Irish people and tell them how they intend to vote. There are not going to be any changes to the deal in the next two weeks. Negotiations of the deal are finished. It is quite simple: you are either for or against the deal.

“It is very concerning for Irish consumers and farmers when we see that a large consignment of Brazilian beef that was contaminated with growth hormones that are carcinogenic and banned in the EU managed to make its way onto EU supermarket shelves.

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“The reality is that the EU has no way of regulating what beef comes into the EU and can only test it after it has arrived here.

“The Tánaiste and the government need to stop dithering on this issue and state clearly how they intend to vote at the EU council meeting in two weeks’ time.

“The Mercosur trade agreement is a bad deal for farmers, a bad deal for consumers and a bad deal for the environment.”