Sources at Wednesday’s Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting told the Irish Examiner that Mr Harris informed TDs and senators that their party would not be “on the back foot” on Mercosur because Mr Mullooly was engaging in “performative politics”. At Wednesday’s parliamentary party meeting, Fine Gael senator Garret Ahearn asked Mr Harris if the party’s MEPs would be whipped and told how to vote. Picture: Pascal Bastien/APMr Ahearn suggested Independent Ireland would argue that Fine Gael was in favour of Mercosur because of the stance taken by some MEPs. Senator Seán Kyne also suggested Fine Gael MEPs voting both for and against Mercosur would be “very damaging to the party”. He said there should have been a vote on the deal itself, which would have seen “almost all” Fine Gael MEPs vote against Mercosur.

Source: Irish Examiner January 22, 2026 08:21 UTC