I join with others in extending every good wish for Christmas and the new year to all staff and Members of the Oireachtas. In the context of the proposed Mercosur deal, I again raise the detailed report from the IFA and the Irish Farmers' Journal on their recent fact-finding mission to Brazil. That report again outlined very clearly how much inferior food production is in Brazil and elsewhere in South America in comparison to the standards in this country and throughout the European Union. We should continually highlight that for decades, this State has invested very heavily, as has the farming community, in building successfully a world-class agrifood industry. Day in, day out, our farmers and processors work extremely hard on maintaining our food production systems to exceptionally high standards. There is a cost on the farming community in maintaining those standards, including high welfare and biosecurity standards and traceability.

Our beef and poultry sectors are extremely concerned about the potential for totally unfair competition if inferior product is allowed into the European Union. The proposed safeguarding regulations need to be substantially strengthened. Our agrifood sector's concerns about this proposed trade deal must be robustly and vigorously outlined and advanced in all discussions by Government at EU level.

I thank the Deputy and Nollaig shona dó. On the points he made about the Mercosur deal, they are points made by the Taoiseach, myself, the Minister for agriculture and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Farmers in Ireland have expressed very serious views. The Irish Farmers' Journal has revealed concerning information, as the Deputy said, following its trip to Brazil as well. As the Taoiseach said this morning, we now see safeguards have been published. We need to have a greater understanding of them but also of any additionality or further work that can be done about that.

There should not be a rush into a quick vote on this. We are continuing to work with like-minded countries that share our significant concerns. We continue to ascertain if a blocking minority exists as well. Our programme for Government commitment remains.

The proposed Mercosur trade agreement is a bad deal for Irish farmers and consumers. I held a public meeting in Athenry earlier this week and there is serious concern about this deal and the impact it would have on our beef industry and family farms. The Government should be doing everything in its power to stop this deal but it is not. For weeks, the Tánaiste and his colleagues have dodged answering the simple question of whether they will vote against this deal. The Taoiseach is in Brussels today. He was unable to answer what way the Government would vote. It is unacceptable that at such a critical moment for Irish agriculture, the Government is unable to set out its position.

I have one simple question for the Tánaiste: will the Government vote yes or no to Mercosur?

Very respectfully, on three or four occasions in the House today, I have outlined the Government's position as the Taoiseach did this morning as well. The programme for Government is clear. We have significant concerns about the agreement in its current form. We will work with like-minded countries to oppose it in its current form. Those two pieces of work are ongoing. It is not prudent or sensible to have a vote on this in advance of Christmas. I share the position of French on that.

I was in the Deputy's constituency very recently and I visited Kylemore Farmhouse. I met a number of farmers, including the chair of Galway IFA, and discussed this with them. I know the concerns of farmers are real and serious about this.