Post European Council Meeting: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-14
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Thomas Byrne (FF), Meath East

-----that there is an issue relating to beef farmers in the Mercosur agreement and I have said that all along. There is no question, particularly in relation to price, because that 99,000 tonnes already coming into the European Union will have a lower tariff. That is not in doubt. The Deputies are telling me we should be telling the European MEPs what to do, but what people like Barry Cowen have done, without being told to do it, is to work on safeguards for farmers, whether this comes into effect or not. He has been working diligently. Other MEPs can vote in whatever way they see fit on behalf of their constituents. The factors they will take into account will include places like Eli Lilly and Liebherr; there is no question about that. Eli Lilly is one of the most important pharmaceutical plants with huge potential all round the world.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:30+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-14