Trade Agreements
Dail Éireann — 2025-10-14
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Martin Kenny (SF), Sligo-Leitrim

I will ask one short supplementary question in that regard. One of the key problems with Mercosur is that we are bringing product into Europe that does not meet the same standards as European farmers have to meet, and are happy to meet because of the high quality of the product we have in this country.
Is it true that, as part of the deal, the European Union will pay Mercosur countries quite large sums of money, which would normally go to farmers in Europe, to bring their farm produce up to the standards of the European farmers? Is something happening in that respect behind the scenes to try to ensure that the product coming from the Mercosur countries will meet the standards?
The other issue I want to raise relates to the inspections that will take place. How and when will they happen? Will the European authorities have inspectors in the Mercosur countries? Will they be checking the product before it leaves those countries? Will it be checked on farms or in abattoirs when it comes to beef and chicken? We need detail in respect of that.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-10-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-10-14