Farmers demonstrate against the EU-Mercosur trade deal, but will they turn out in the same numbers to oppose the pact with Australia? Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Getty ImagesThe Government expects the European Union to conclude a big trade deal with Australia in the coming weeks, which will open the European market to significant amounts of agricultural products. Dublin will endorse the agreement, it is expected, but the new agreement will alarm farmers, who recently fought a campaign against the Mercosur trade deal with South American countries. Thousands of farmers from across Ireland turned out to protest the EU-Mercosur trade deal in Athlone. According to one source, having opposed the Mercosur deal, the State could not seek to block another trade agreement “and still claim to be a pro-free trade country”.

Source: The Irish Times March 14, 2026 15:02 UTC