MEP Maria Walsh's Longford visit and how ECJ Mercosur deal referral 'has backfired'

MEP Maria Walsh has said while she is bitterly disappointed with the latest Mercosur deal development but it 'comes as no surprise to me that the Commission has decided to provisionally implement the Mercosur trade deal'.

The Midlands North-West representative was part of Fine Gael delegation that included Longford TD Micheál Carrigy, Cllr Paul Ross and Cllr Martin Skelly on Thursday, February 19 who spent the day travelling around the county.

Housing, roads, medical care, the National Children's Hospital and the Mercosur deal were some of the issues raised with the Ms Walsh and her colleagues on the day.

Ms Walsh stopped off at Ballymahon Mart, the Ballymahon Convent Day Care Centre, Longford Community Resources and they visited Longford farmer Philip Stewart, better known as Farmer Phil at his dairy-beef farm in Killashee.

The Mayo woman is the lead agriculture negotiator for the European People’s Party (EPP) on Horizon Europe, the European Union’s key funding programme for research and innovation running from 2021-to-2027.

A majority of MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg voted last month to refer the controversial EU-Mercosur deal to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) so it could give its legal opinion.

A total of nine of Ireland's MEPs voted in favour, but Ms Walsh was one of four who decided to vote against, and the Mayo woman told the Longford Leader she believed farmers needed more certainty.

At the time, MEP Walsh warned that the move would not stop the deal, but instead risked accelerating its application and deepening uncertainty for Irish farmers.

She told the Leader on February 19, "So, all in all, I'm in line with the government in terms of Mercosur in its current form, the Mercosur deal is not fit for purpose.

"But for me, by not sending it to the European Courts of Justice, I believe in more certainty for farmers."

However, on Friday, the European Commission confirmed that the trade elements of the Mercosur deal will now be provisionally applied, before MEPs have had the opportunity to vote on the full agreement and Ms Walsh gave her reaction.

“While I’m bitterly disappointed with today’s news, it comes as no surprise to me that the Commission has decided to provisionally implement the Mercosur trade deal.

"I warned that the court referral would not block this deal - it would only change the route by which it comes into force. MEPs who voted in favour of the referral should feel the full weight of their decisions today.

“While provisional application is legally within the Commission’s powers, I believe it runs against the spirit of cooperation between EU institutions. MEPs should have had their say before any part of this agreement was activated.

“The situation we are in today is a mess. I envisage months of disruption and uncertainty for farmers ahead. While my voting record shows my clear opposition to Mercosur as well as a preference for stability for farmers, not all Irish MEPs can say the same.”

Ms Walsh described the referral to the ECJ as a 'political gesture dressed up as strategy'.

"Those who supported it knew it was highly unlikely to deliver meaningful protections for Irish farmers. In fact, we now find ourselves in a worse position - facing earlier implementation and prolonged uncertainty for our agricultural sector."

During her visit to Longford last week Ms Walsh said it was fantastic meeting not just farmers, but agriculture consultants, vets, and seeing the whole ecosystem of agriculture at Ballymahon Mart, and meeting so many positive and energetic people at the Convent Day Care Centre in Ballymahon.

Ms Walsh said there were several questions and issues that people raised with her as they stopped off to speak to constituents.

"We actually had a couple of specific questions, which is great when you travel in a delegation as there was and it varied from what was happening at the [National] Children's Hospital, to homes, to defence, to medical support and agriculture, it was a great plethora of asks."

Ms Walsh is a full member of the Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) committee and the Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) committee.

She has called for and proposed in the European Parliament that there should be increased Horizon Europe funding for agriculture and fisheries and the current funding allocated of approximately €17 billion should be 'doubled'.

Ms Walsh said she was pleased by the Government's announcement on Wednesday that there is an agreement to work with like-minded EU member states to assess options to introduce age restrictions and a social media ban for under 16s.

"They're going to lean into other member states to see what's happening.

"But if you look at France, Portugal, Spain, they've already moved on that, and it's the Australian model [they are looking to].
"I personally would like it."

Ms Walsh said she would be in favour of a system, similar to the Airbnb app, where social media users submit their ID and there is face recognition used.

Asked about enterprise and business in the Midlands and North West, Ms Walsh said her and her team do a lot the work at a European level, in the Gender Equality Committee, which 'has been really important' and female entrepreneurs need to be given the same supports as men.

“ I keep saying that 40% of our entrepreneurs in Europe are women.

"The access to VC (venture capital) range of investment, is less than 3% and we're a pro-business, open economy, and a big pro-business party.

"I would hope in the upcoming budgets, including highlighted in the EU Presidency, which will start in July, that we are really focused on indigenous female business."

Longford TD Micheál Carrigy interjected and he said the N4 Longford to Mullingar road upgrade project will provide a huge boost for business and enterprise and it will help to attract industry to the area.

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