Irish farmers would be "unduly affected" by the Mercosur trade agreement the Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice has warned.

The Roscommon - Galway TD said there are "many headwinds blowing in respect of the Mercosur deal", and has urged the government to oppose it.

During a Dáil debate both Deputy Fitzmaurice and Sligo-Leitrim TD and the Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, food and the marine, Martin Kenny, highlighted their concerns about the Mercosur agreement.

Deputy Kenny said: "Farmers and many others in my constituency and across the country feel that we will have Irish beef products produced to the highest standards competing with products produced to the lowest standards.

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, food and the marine, also urged the government to "oppose it in totality".

But the Minister of State for International Development, Neale Richmond, challenged Deputy Kenny's statement on Mercosur and said that "the deputy cannot oppose something in its entirety.

"There is a lot to it. We can talk about the beef element but come on," Minister Richmond said.

However Deputy Kenny maintained that it has to be recognised that Mercosur "would be detrimental to the livelihoods of Irish farmers".

"In that context, we must be very strong and definite in respect of what we are doing around all of that," he added.

Separately Deputy Fitzmaurice also highlighted his concerns during the Dáil debate last week on the impact that potential trade tariffs could have on Irish agri-businesses.

"While it will be Europe that will decide the number and type of products that will attract tariffs, we must remember that the 60% of, for example, distillers' grain that comes to Europe comes to Ireland.

"I urge our ministers to bring this forward at European level in order that it will not happen. The whiskey industry and other industries are also at serious risk," he said.

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