Independent Ireland Galway West candidate Noel Thomas has warned that the Government’s increasingly soft approach to the EU–Mercosur trade deal risks undermining food standards that people rely on every day when shopping, working and raising families.
Cllr Thomas said the issue goes beyond trade policy and affects ordinary expectations around safety, regulation and trust.
“People go about their daily lives assuming that the food they buy meets clear standards,” he said.
“They expect strong regulation, proper oversight and confidence that what’s on the shelf meets the rules we have in place to protect health.”
He said recent signals that the Government may be open to backing the deal following EU-level concessions are troubling.
“Mercosur raises serious questions about whether those everyday standards can be maintained. Once food produced under very different regulatory systems is allowed in, it becomes harder to guarantee the protections people assume are already there.”
Thomas said regulation exists to remove doubt from everyday decisions.
“People shouldn’t have to stop and question whether the food they’re buying meets the standards we’ve built over decades. Those rules exist so families don’t have to second-guess what they’re bringing home.”
He warned that weakening standards has long-term consequences.
“When regulation is diluted, the impact isn’t immediate — it shows up over time. Confidence erodes, oversight becomes harder, and responsibility becomes blurred. That’s not a risk we should be willing to take.”
Cllr Thomas said opposition to Mercosur reflects widespread concern about how decisions are being made.
“At the weekend, people from across the country will gather in Athlone at an Independent Ireland rally to oppose Mercosur. The concern is shared by people who simply want decisions to reflect common sense and responsibility.”
He added that the issue fits into a broader pattern.
“Across housing, cost pressures and now food standards, people feel that decisions are being made too far removed from the realities of everyday life.”
“If the Government is serious about protecting public health and maintaining confidence in the standards people rely on, it should close the door on Mercosur and say so clearly," he concluded.
