Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-18
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

Let me try. I thank Deputy Fitzmaurice for raising the issue. It is highly unlikely that there will be a vote before the end of the year. That is indicative of the fact that I do not believe that the blocking minority has disappeared.
The programme for Government sets out two things. It states that Government will oppose the Mercosur deal in its current form and, I am paraphrasing here, that we will work with like-minded countries in relation to that. The Government has significant concerns regarding the Mercosur deal in its current form. In Brussels this morning, the Taoiseach made it clear that while there have been some safeguards produced, we need to see more. I believe he used the word "additionality" in that regard. The work continues. That is the first point. The idea that there could be a vote today or tomorrow does not seem to be the case.
The Deputy asked - I do not doubt that he did so in all sincerity - asked if we will stick with this, that and the other country. The God's honest truth is, and I have said this to farmers in Galway, Clare and elsewhere - I would say it to farmers anywhere - whether the blocking majority still exists is the key question. Unlike others in this House, the Deputy never engages in performative politics. Is there a blocking minority? The Deputy picks up on newspaper reports that this country is thinking of changing its position. I have read in international media that maybe Italy or France are going to vote a particular way. Neither country has indicated that it is changing its position.
Ireland is working with like-minded countries, which currently have a blocking minority on the Mercosur deal. We have significant concerns about the deal in its current form. We do not intend to do anything that ends the blocking minority. However, I am obliged to ask whether everybody in that group of like-minded countries remains resolute in their opposition. It is absolutely appropriate that the Taoiseach, the Minister for trade, the Minister for agriculture, myself and everybody else in the Government should continue to work with those like-minded countries to ascertain when a vote actually comes what way we, Italy, France and other countries will vote. While I do not mean this rudely, the Deputy is saying with great certainty that we should join with Italy, join with France and join with others. Will that be their position when it ultimately comes to a vote in Europe?
The programme for Government states that we should oppose it in its current form and work with like-minded countries, and that is what we are going to continue to do. We are working on a variety of issues for farmers and for the fishery sector at European level. We had a disastrously negative outcome on fisheries in Europe last week. The Government is going to have to respond as to how we can support that sector too. Our position on the Mercosur deal remains as per the programme for Government.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:29+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-18