Govt seeking ‘sufficient clarification' before final decision on Mercosur
The Tánaiste has confirmed that 'engagements' are continuing with the European Commission over the Mercosur trade deal and that the government will seek 'sufficient clarification' on priority areas before any final decision on the deal.
Tánaiste Simon Harris has re-iterated again that the Irish government is opposed to the current Mercosur trade deal.
'Since the commission announced the conclusion of negotiations, officials from my department and other departments, including the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), have been working together to carefully analyse the text of the additional legal instrument addressing sustainability commitments.
' Furthermore, I and my officials have engaged with the commission and with counterparts in other EU member states to interrogate the outcome of negotiations to assess if our concerns have been adequately addressed,' the Tánaiste told the Dáil this week.
According to Simon Harris engagements with the commission are continuing because the government wants further clarification on key issues including 'climate, biodiversity, deforestation and the protection of farmer's incomes in advance of any final decision on the agreement'.
Mercosur
Separately the leader of Independent Ireland, Michael Collins, said a briefing held by the European Commission on the Mercosur trade deal in Leinster House had not allayed its concerns about the deal.
Deputy Collins accused commission officials of 'trying to convince Irish lawmakers that this deal is somehow good for Ireland'.
'This is a deal that will damage Irish beef and poultry farmers.
'No matter how they spin it, the Irish farming sector has nothing to gain — and everything to lose,' he added.
The party's agriculture spokesperson, Galway-Roscommon TD , Michael Fitzmaurice, also warned today (Friday, May 23) that the deal could 'flood the market with cheap, hormone-treated meat from Brazil'.
The European Commission however maintains that the Mercosur agreement would create 'new opportunities' for Irish farmers because it will remove Mercosur tariffs of up to 55% on EU agri-food products.
The commission has also underlined that the terms of the agreement will not provide duty-free access to Mercosur beef.
But it will allow 99,000 tonnes of Mercosur beef to enter the EU market with a 7.5% duty – 55% of the quota will consist of fresh or chilled meat and 45% of lower-value frozen meat.
According to Deputy Fitzmaurice this would be 'potentially devastating for Irish farming'.
He added 'Irish farmers are being forced to meet the highest environmental standards, while this deal rewards production linked to mass deforestation in the Amazon.
'It's utterly hypocritical.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Inside ‘delightful' family home on Irish market for €269k – and it's ‘immaculately presented throughout'
TAKE a look inside the "delightful" family home on the Irish market for €269,000 - and it's "immaculately presented throughout". This stunning pad is located in Ashfield, Co Advertisement 6 The pad is located near Carlow town Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 And it is now on the Irish market for €269,000 Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 It comes with a spacious living room Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 The pad also features a fully-tiled kitchen Credit: Estate Agents Collect This semi-detached It comes fully The house listing reads: "This delightful semi-detached home is located in a quiet cul-de-sac on the southern edge of Carlow town, with full access to all mains services and town amenities. "Constructed in 1999, the residence presents a three-bed-one-bath configuration, with the added bonus of an integrated garage cavity at ground floor level, ripe for immediate conversion." Advertisement READ MORE IN MONEY It includes a substantial modern kitchen with access to the rear garden and is perfect for This stunning kitchen has tiled flooring and is fully fitted with white cabinets, an oven, and a dishwasher. Double-glazed windows located around the kitchen and dining area allow plenty of natural light to enter the house. The family home is in an excellent location, with cafes, Advertisement MOST READ IN MONEY Along with being a short walk from Carlow town centre, Kilkenny and Portlaoise are each within an hour's drive of this fabulous property. The area also includes a choice of primary and secondary schools, perfect for Inside three bed family home on Irish market for €170k on 'generous site,' in 'desirable location' Located in a sought after residential area, the family home is equipped with oil-fired central heating and has a spacious back garden. A major bonus to the pad is that it comes with an integrated garage making it perfect for a conversion. Advertisement What's more, the home features off street parking and a large garden. When entering the home, viewers are greeted by a fabulous hallway with timber flooring and plenty of storage room under the stairs. A This comfortable area is filled with natural light and space, creating a cosy atmosphere. Advertisement There are three bathrooms in this family home and the first of which is fully tiled and includes a wash basin, a bath and a toilet. F irst floor offerings Moving upstairs, there is a spacious and modern landing with carpet flooring. On the property's first floor there are three bedrooms, including a master bedroom with timber flooring, natural light and plenty of storage space. The second bedroom is spacious and features views overlooking the garden, along with wooden flooring and wardrobes, and could fit a king-size bed. Advertisement The home's third bedroom is a modern single room that features plenty of storage space and natural light. The Along with featuring a patio area, it comes with ample space and greenery. The property is listed by Sherry Fitzgerald and on Advertisement 6 The property is a three bedroom pad Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 It comes with a large rear garden Credit: Estate Agents Collect
The Journal
an hour ago
- The Journal
At least five killed as Russia launches major attack on Ukraine
AT LEAST FIVE people have been killed after Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early this morning. Russian forces have accelerated attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, with the Kremlin vowing to retaliate over a brazen attack on its air bases last weekend. The Ukrainian air force said Moscow had fired 206 drones and nine missiles, adding that 'the air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces'. In Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov counted 48 Iranian-made drones, two missiles and four guided bombs before dawn in the city of some 1.4 million residents located less than 50 kilometres from the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine. 'Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the beginning of the full-scale war,' Terekhov posted on Telegram around 4.40am (2.40am Irish time), adding that drones were still buzzing overhead. The Russian strikes pummelled homes and apartment blocks, killing at least three people and wounding 17 more, the mayor said. A woman was also pulled alive from the rubble of a high-rise building. Kharkiv region Governor Oleg Synegubov said the wounded included two children. 'Medical personnel are providing the necessary assistance,' he wrote. The northeastern city was already reeling from an attack on Thursday that wounded at least 18 people, including four children. Advertisement Rescuers carry a wounded woman after Russian attack that hit a residential building in Kharkiv. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo In the southern port city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed a couple and damaged two high-rise buildings, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, governor Sergiy Lysak said Ukrainian forces had repelled 27 drones and two missiles overnight, but two women aged 45 and 88 were injured. Rescuers in the western city of Lutsk, near the Polish border, meanwhile discovered a second fatality from Friday's strikes, describing the victim as a woman in her 20s. The aerial bombardments come days after Ukraine launched a brazen attack well beyond the frontlines, damaging nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases and prompting vows of revenge from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia's defence ministry meanwhile said that 36 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles had been downed across a wide swath of territory. Ukraine has been pushing for an unconditional and immediate 30-day truce, issuing its latest proposal during peace talks in Istanbul on Monday. But Russia, which now controls around one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, has repeatedly rejected such offers to end its three-year war. The Kremlin said on Friday the Ukraine war was 'existential' for Russia. Ceasefire hopes dim The comments are Moscow's latest to dampen hopes for a breakthrough amid a flurry of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as telephone calls between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, aimed at stopping the fighting. 'For us it is an existential issue, an issue on our national interest, safety, on our future and the future of our children, of our country,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to remarks by Trump on Thursday comparing Moscow and Kyiv to brawling children. Related Reads Trump-Putin phone call will not lead to 'immediate peace in Ukraine', US President says Ukraine attacks bridge connecting Crimea to Russia with over a thousand kilos of explosives Ukraine says it destroyed more than 40 military planes in drone attack in Russia Ahead of the talks this week in Istanbul, an audacious Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia. Putin had told Trump he would retaliate for the brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, in which Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small drones into Russia, parked them near Russian air bases and unleashed them in a coordinated attack. Putin has issued a host of sweeping demands on Ukraine if it wants to halt the fighting. They include completely pulling troops out of four regions claimed by Russia, but which its army does not fully control, an end to Western military support, and a ban on Ukraine joining Nato. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the demands as old ultimatums, questioned the purpose of more such talks and called for a summit to be attended by him, Putin and Trump. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Want to know more about what's happening in Ukraine and why? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Five killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine
Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early this morning, killing five people as it retaliated for a brazen attack on air bases days earlier. The Kremlin has accelerated its attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, while the latest ceasefire negotiations have failed to broker an end to the three-year war. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had fired 206 drones and nine missiles and added that "the air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces". In Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov counted 48 Iranian-made drones, two missiles and four guided bombs before dawn and said the attack was unprecedented. The northeastern city of some 1.4 million residents is located less than 50 kilometres from the Russian border. "Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the beginning of the full-scale war," Mr Terekhov posted on Telegram around 4.40am (2.40am Irish time), adding that drones were still buzzing overhead. The Russian strikes pummelled homes and apartment blocks, killing at least three people and wounding 17 more, the mayor said. A woman was also pulled alive from the rubble of a high-rise building. Kharkiv region Governor Oleg Synegubov said the wounded included two children. "Medical personnel are providing the necessary assistance," he wrote. Kharkiv was already reeling from an attack on Thursday that wounded at least 18 people, including four children. In the southern port city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed a couple and damaged two high-rise buildings, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, governor Sergiy Lysak said Ukrainian forces had repelled 27 drones and two missiles overnight, but two women aged 45 and 88 were injured. Rescuers in the western city of Lutsk, near the Polish border, meanwhile discovered a second fatality from yesterday's strikes, describing the victim as a woman in her 20s. This morning's attacks come a day after Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, killing at least six people as powerful explosions reverberated across the country. The attacks followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via US President Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky said three emergency responders were killed in the missile and drone salvo against the capital while two died in an attack on the northern city of Chernihiv and at least one more in the northwestern city of Lutsk. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out the strike on military and military-related targets in response to what it called Ukrainian "terrorist acts" against Russia. "They gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night," Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday, when asked about how Ukraine's earlier drone strikes had affected the conflict. Mr Zelensky said 80 people nationwide had been injured in the attacks yesterday, which also struck several other towns and cities. He said residents could still be trapped under rubble. In Chernihiv, the national emergency services said two bodies were recovered from the rubble of a wrecked industrial enterprise. In Lutsk, the body of a man was found in the ruins of an apartment block, while emergency crews kept searching for his wife. Thirty people were hurt in the city, where educational institutions and a government building were also hit. Russian forces also struck industrial facilities and infrastructure in the western city of Ternopil, leaving parts of it without power, Mayor Serhii Nadal said. The regional administration said the attack had injured ten people and asked residents to temporarily stay inside due to a high concentration of toxic substances in the air after a fire. Hopes of ceasefire dim The Kremlin said yesterday the Ukraine war was "existential" for Russia. The comments are Russia's latest to dampen hopes for a breakthrough amid a flurry of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as telephone calls between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, aimed at stopping the fighting. "For us it is an existential issue, an issue on our national interest, safety, on our future and the future of our children, of our country," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to remarks by Trump on Thursday comparing Russia and Ukraine to brawling children. Ahead of the talks this week in Istanbul, an audacious Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia. Mr Putin had told Mr Trump he would retaliate for the brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, in which Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small drones into Russia, parked them near Russian air bases and unleashed them in a coordinated attack. Mr Putin has issued a host of sweeping demands on Ukraine if it wants to halt the fighting. They include completely pulling troops out of four regions claimed by Russia, but which its army does not fully control, an end to Western military support, and a ban on Ukraine joining NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the demands as old ultimatums, questioned the purpose of more such talks and called for a summit to be attended by him, Mr Putin and Mr Trump.
