Beef deal shows FG aren’t the ‘farmers party’

Beef deal shows FG aren’t the ‘farmers party’ – Tóibín

Peadar Tóibín, leader of Aontú, has said that the Mercosur trade deal will badly affect Irish farmers and flies in the face of Fine Gael’s image of being the ‘farmers party’.

Speaking today Deputy Tóibín said:

“Thousands of tonnes of Brazilian beef is set for the Irish and EU market. This will undermine the market as beef with lower EU tariffs from South America will come flooding in.

“The lack of standards and regulation in Brazil will mean this beef will be cheaper. This is a bad deal in terms of livelihoods of Irish farmers, but also in terms of the ecological cost. Thousands of acres of rain forest are being cleared in Brazil to make room for new beef farms and this at a time of environmental crisis.

“It is shocking that with Fine Gael stalwart Phil Hogan as agricultural commissioner that this deal has advanced to this stage. Leo Varadkar must consider the farming community and the impact that this will have on them and the Irish economy as a whole prior to voting on the deal.

“The potential loss to Irish farmers is estimated to be between half to three quarters of a billion euro. The potential cost to the environment is incalculable as the deal will drive the deforestation of the Amazon which is such a crucial element of the global ecosystem.”

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.