Thousands of Irish farmers have participated in a rolling protest in the heart of the country as anger grows over the progression of the EU-Mercosur deal. On Friday, the EU ambassador approved a trade deal with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay – but it still needs to be backed by the European Parliament. The trade deal with the EU involves four Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. A convoy of tractors in Athlone protesting against the EU-Mercosur trade deal (Cillian Sherlock/PA)Irish beef farmers are concerned that the deal could threaten their exports to Europe due to the introduction of lower-cost Brazilian beef. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.

Source: Irish Independent January 10, 2026 14:20 UTC