Mayo councillors tell MEPs vote on Mercosur must be 'No'

IRISH MEPs have been called on to vote 'No' to the Mercosur trade deal.

The message from councillors in Mayo was very clear at their monthly meeting: The deal will devastate farming and rural Ireland, and bringing in inferior beef when Irish farmers produce a top quality, traceable product will not be accepted.

Independent Councillor Johnny O'Malley, himself a farmer, urged his council colleagues to lobby their TDs and ministers to impress on their MEPs that they must vote No in the European Parliament.

He cited the dangers of banned hormones, antibiotics and doses in Brazilian beef, in particular their effect on young people, especially around puberty.

If we are serious about giving our young people good food, let them eat Irish food, with full traceability, he said.

Buy beef from your local butcher, he urged consumers, asking: “What's cheaper? If you buy something that will affect your health it's not cheaper.”

Mercosur would be detrimental to farmers, if approved, but also for young people's health, he reiterated.

Councillor John O'Hara said when we eat, we want the best, and he also urged a vote against the deal.

The sentiments were re-echoed by Councillor Damien Ryan who said that any MEP voting for a deal that brings in inferior beef that is not up to the standard of that produced in Europe should question their integrity and why they're there in the first place.

You can't have imported meat coming in that meets no regulation or traceability and contains stuff were banned 25 years ago.

The minister, he said, will have to consider Bord Bia if this comes to pass. There's no point adhering to the finest standards if we accept this.

And on food labelling, it should be indicated where the meat has originated and been processed so the consumer has full certainty that they are buying Irish.

“If it doesn't say Irish it should be left on the shelf,” added Councillor Ryan.

Independent Ireland Councillor Chris Maxwell, whose party organised the protest in Athlone attended by thousands of farmers, said the deal 'can be stopped'.

We need to start at home and every MEP in the country needs to vote against it or rural Ireland will be in serious trouble, he warned.

* Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme