An Ireland South MEP from Kerry has said some of the claims made during the Mercosur debate wouldn't have been out of place on the side of a red double decker bus driven by Nigel Farage.
Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly was addressing Seanad Éireann on the importance of protecting Ireland’s reputation in Europe.
He said Ireland should not assume it is immune to the kind of misinformation seen during the Brexit campaign.
Kilcummin native, Seán Kelly, claimed some of rhetoric before the Mercosur trade deal stalled in the European parliament, echoed Brexit-style populism.
He alleged the debate around Mercosur included misleading claims, particularly about food safety.
MEP Kelly warned that if Ireland is seen as unreliable or aligned with protectionist positions, it risks reputational damage at EU level:
