-----if the regulator he is establishing thought they were necessary. The Minister is proposing to give a regulator-----

-----a job he or she and his or her office will be unable to do, which is to introduce transparency in the food chain, especially when it comes to the murky world of meat processors in Ireland.

That is the legislative process.

To suggest that the powers that are proposed to be given to the Minister and his successors to make regulations requiring transparency in the food chain is already covered in this Bill is patently incorrect. Where does the Minister or the regulator have the power to require beef processors to provide data on the amount of feedlot cattle that are being killed? That has an important impact on pricing. They are used to push down prices. That is why they control so many feedlots that were previously owned or controlled…

The Minister used the word "historic" quite a lot. This is historic only to the extent that never has so much been offered but so little delivered by way of concrete powers to a regulator. Where does the regulator have the power to ascertain the impact of feedlots? How will it do that unless there is a possibility to give it that power? The Minister does not have to do so, of course. It is merely that he is unable to make regulations to that effect. Where will the regulator be able to find out the amounts retailers…

I move amendment No. 3: In page 8, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: “ “meat processing plant” means any plant or premises where there the business of slaughtering livestock, of manufacturing or preparing meats or meat food products from livestock for sale or shipment in commerce is carried out;”.

I move amendment No. 4: In page 8, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: " "reporting day" means a day on which— (a) a meat processing plant conducts business regarding livestock committed to the meat processing plant, or livestock purchased, sold, or slaughtered by the meat processing plant, (b) the Minister is required to make information concerning the business described in paragraph (a) available to the public, and (c) the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is open to conduct business;".

I move amendment No. 5: In page 9, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1) and (2) , the following unfair commercial practices in the sale of the agricultural and food products may be prohibited by regulation: (a) deferrals of payment of agricultural or food products that exceed 30 days or other reasonable time period set down in regulation; (b) one of the parties to the commercial relationship cancelling an order for perishable agricultural and f…

It bodes badly for the new regulator if the only reason the Minister has given for the watering-down in 2021 of the protections contained in the 2016 regulations is that the 2021 regulations were being made pursuant to the unfair trading practices directive of the European Union, which subsequently came into effect, rather than by the then enterprise Minister pursuant to a groceries Act of 2007. A precursor to the regulator, therefore, brought them in pursuant to the unfair trading directive, and that is a worry fo…

I do not wish to speak any further to the amendment save to correct the record of the Dáil. The new, watered-down amendments in 2021 were not made by the then Minister of State, Deputy Troy, as I previously said. As Minister of State, he did repeal the regulations by the then Minister, Deputy Bruton, but the new, watered-down regulations were, in fact, made by the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, in 2021. It is important to clarify that given Deputy Troy is not in the House. Other than that, I will press the amendment…

I move amendment No. 6: In page 9, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1) and (2) , the Minister may make regulation requiring any or all of the following: (a) Meat processing plants may be required to report to the regulator on each designated reporting day with the following information for each cattle type: (i) the prices for cattle (recorded in euros per kilogram weight) established on that day, categorised by— (I) type of purchase, including…

The programme for Government pledges to introduce a new food authority that will ensure "fairness, equity, and transparency in the food chain”. The legislation to do that is coming before the House tomorrow on Report Stage. Twenty-five amendments have been put forward in good faith, the majority by the Opposition but a significant minority by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Bill is being guillotined. Our debate is limited to one hour. The Taoiseach, before he took office, said that sometimes …

I thank the Taoiseach.

I thank the Minister of State.

Neoliberal.

I previously raised the plight of farmers who farm in designated areas and whose farming practices are, therefore, restricted. Previously, they were compensated for that through the BurrenLife scheme in the case of the Burren and the hen harrier project in the Slieve Aughty Mountains. That has been abolished. They were told to go through the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES. In theory, they get more money through ACRES. They can get a maximum of €10,000 and farmers not in designated areas get a maximum …

I was not invited to that meeting.

When will it go beyond consideration?

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue. Obviously sheep prices are at an unsustainable level. It is not really profitable to be engaged in sheep farming at the moment and that needs to change. I heard Deputy Ó Cathasaigh say earlier that we need to work towards developing producer groups and I very much agree with him on that. He cited Connemara lamb as a very good example of how added value can be obtained. Unfortunately, however, with regard to geographical areas of origin, the Department's approach has…

The target of generating 5 GW of offshore wind energy is a key plank of the programme for Government. This target was increased to 7 GW by 2030 in the course of the summer. I have heard the Taoiseach describe it as our moon shot. At present, Ireland generates 0.025 GW on the Arklow Bank. There is an offshore renewable electricity support scheme, ORESS, 1, auction process under way. If successful, it will generate 2.5 GW in its own terms. The controversial phase 2 announced this month is limited to an additional 0.7…