Watch: 'We're not going to be flooded with Brazilian beef' - Michael O'Leary
Irish farmers should not be worried about either the Mercosur or the EU-Australia trade deals, according to Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary.
He believes there will be "tiny volumes of beef imports coming in" and has dismissed what he described as "all these histrionics" about Ireland "being flooded by Brazilian beef".
Instead the Ryanair boss believes that Ireland should embrace trade deals generally - whether it is Mercosur or the Australian deal.
"Ireland will do well out of free trade.
"Joining the European Union was the greatest initiative, certainly in my lifetime, that happened, not just to the Irish economy, but to Irish agriculture and for Irish farmers.
"We should be welcoming the Mercosur trade deal. We should welcome the Australian trade deal. Anything that encourages free trade is good for the Irish economy, and what's good for the Irish economy will ultimately translate into being good for Irish farmers as well," O'Leary said.
Separately the Ryanair boss celebrates 30 years in the "Angus business" in 2026, he imported his first 25 pedigree Angus cattle from Canada in 1997.
Today he has 650 animals and in a special episode of Agriland's Beef Brief podcast he tells technical beef journalist, Breifne O’Brien, about what he thinks are the key challenges facing Irish agriculture and also about his on-farm sale of pedigree-registered Angus bulls and heifers next month.
O'Leary strongly believes that Irish beef is a quality product - which is one of the reasons why he is convinced Irish farmers should not live in fear of trade deals.
"There will be enormous demand for Irish beef. You look at people going to restaurants in Ireland people will want Irish Angus beef," he said.
Bord Bia protests
The Ryanair CEO revealed to Agriland that he did not "think much" of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) protest at the Bord Bia headquarters earlier this year.
"I thought the IFA were very badly advised and I would be generally a supporter of the IFA, I think it will be shown to have been historically wrong on their opposition to the Mercosur trade deal.
"Anything that enhances the wealth of the Irish economy - and this will enhance the wealth of the Irish economy - is good for Irish farming," Michael O'Leary said.
