Food Industry
Dail Éireann — 2021-12-09
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Matt Carthy (SF), Cavan-Monaghan

It would be useful if the Minister could elaborate on the work that enforcement authority is doing. In May, the unit had three full-time equivalent posts, filled by four staff. Progress was being made on appointing a head of unit but by September and through October, it had only two full-time equivalent staff, again with the promise of a head of unit. It has not received, as far as I am aware, or initiated a single case and not €1 has been spent, other than on the staff costs. The €4 million budget allocation is, of course, welcome but it will be meaningless unless it is used with good effect. The Minister referred to our consultation, in which we outlined the need for an independent meat regulator with real teeth to tackle unfair trading practices and other cartel-like behaviours.
Will the Minister elaborate on what the unit is doing and whether, in its current guise, it has the ability to challenge processers for unfair trading practices?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2021-12-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:49:57+00:00
Sitting date: 2021-12-09