Farmers protest EU-Mercosur trade agreement outside Dáil

Farmers have been protesting outside the Dáil, calling on all elected representatives to oppose the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.

The deal would reduce obstacles to trade between the European Union and the Mercosur trade block which includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

It would also allow access to EU markets for good and services, including agricultural exports, from the South American countries

John Cleary, National Beef Chair with the Irish Cattle and Sheep and Farmers' Association (ICSA), told RTÉ News that it "has the implications of allowing up to 100,000 tons of South American beef to come into Europe from 2027 tariff free".

Read more: EU/Mercosur trade deal - What you need to know

"This beef, we feel, will undermine the value of Irish produce, which we are exporting all over Europe and all over the world in hard fought markets," said Mr Cleary.

"World market price for beef currently are approximately 60% of the value of European beef.

"So, this has the potential to bring our prices way down to a level which is unsustainable here in Ireland."

He said that farmers fear the agreement could be signed at the G20 summit in Brazil later this month.

However, France has resisted a conclusion of the deal, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying it cannot be finalised unless the Mercosur countries agree to match EU environmental policies.

Mr Cleary said "it's comforting to know that the French farmers are going to be out in force next week, and we know what pressure they can bring to bear, and they have a stronger voice in Europe. Hopefully they can make demands on the EU presidency to maybe change what they have in mind"