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Farmers' Journal investigation into the sale of hormones and antibiotics in Brazil raise important issues and merit careful examination, as I said previously. Brazilian beef already enters the EU market, and it is therefore important to ensure that none of the unregulated products referenced in the investigation

Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of any Brazilian or South American beef being imported into Ireland that is produced using hormones and antibiotics that are banned in Ireland under food safety standards; and if he will make

deal as it stands poses a serious threat to Irish farming. It would open the door to 99,000 tonnes of South American beef entering the EU market every year, produced under conditions that fall far short of the standard we demand here. Growth hormones that are banned … meat cleared by Brazilian authorities has failed EU safety tests. Irish farmers have built a reputation for quality, traceability and sustainability. That reputation is not just a market slogan; it is a foundation of rural livelihoods. Yet, this deal risks flooding the market with beef

hypocrisy is not lost on our farmers. Irish beef is the world's gold standard. Over 77,000 farmers work relentlessly to pass the rigorous Bord Bia inspections. I would love to see those inspectors visit Brazilian farms or even the mega slaughterhouses in Brazil that

should be reducing our consumption of beef and dairy because all red meat, even when it is organic, has carcinogenic properties. I take on board what my colleagues before me said with regard to whether we could expect the Brazilian product to be any better. It is going

progress. There is then the issue of health. The quality of meat produced under Mercosur standards raised serious concerns. Brazil's beef farmers are known to use pesticides banned in the EU and reports have highlighted carcinogenic residues, antibiotic overuse, with poor traceability. Indeed, the use of hormones … antibiotics in intensive production contributes to antimicrobial resistance, weaker pesticide control and increases the risk of carcinogenic residues. In 2017, the EU banned Brazilian meat for a period because of these systemic failures. Has that been completely forgotten by this Government? We are so lucky in Ireland

roughly 440,000 tonnes of beef every year, which is worth €2.8 billion. Meat Industry Ireland, MII, estimates that Mercosur could cost our beef industry between €100 million and €130 million annually. This represents a loss of between €75 and €95 per head of cattle. Suckler farmers … plainly, a single year of Mercosur imports could wipe out the domestic market for a cornerstone product of our poultry sector. Brazilian poultry is sold at less than half the price of its EU equivalent. That price differential reflects very different input costs, regulatory standards and production practices