Johnny Mythen and Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, two Wexford TDs, have sharply criticized the Irish government’s handling of the controversial Mercosur trade deal, accusing it of trying to “ride both horses.” The two Sinn Féin representatives were speaking following a motion brought to the Dáil last night, calling on the Irish state to direct its MEPs to continue opposing the deal.
The Mercosur deal, a European trade agreement with South American countries, has drawn strong criticism for its potential impact on Irish farmers. Both TDs argue that the government’s actions, particularly its late opposition to the deal, come after years of inaction, making any effort to block the agreement almost meaningless.
Johnny Mythen outlined the serious consequences for Irish farmers, saying that the importation of 99,000 tons of beef and 108,000 tons of poultry from South America could depress markets and bring in lower-quality, unregulated meat. He also highlighted the environmental damage, pointing to the 75,000 hectares of rainforest cleared in 2025 alone. Mythen is calling for the government to act decisively to protect rural communities and Irish agriculture and to demand that MEPs vote against the deal.
Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin echoed these concerns, accusing the government of being out of step with farmers, particularly those in his constituency who protested against the deal in recent weeks. He criticized the government’s failure to take action over a 25-year period, noting that it could have blocked the deal but chose not to. Ó Súilleabháin also criticized the government for its handling of the Lisbon Treaty, which he says removed Ireland’s veto on trade agreements, thus paving the way for the Mercosur deal to be negotiated in the first place.
Both TDs are calling on the government to use its remaining influence to block Mercosur beef from entering the Irish food chain and to fully support legal actions to halt the deal. They also want the government to mandate Irish MEPs to vote against it and engage actively with the European Parliament to prevent what they call a “bad deal” for Ireland’s farmers, consumers and environment.
