Vol. 521 No. 6
81 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he has satisfied himself that non-national chain stores give equal opportunity for Irish suppliers to provide products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17854/00]
82 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he has any information suggesting that some overseas chain stores tend to exclude Irish suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17855/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together.
Single Market rules prohibit member states from compelling retailers to give preferential treatment to domestically produced goods. While it may be the case that, for various reasons, some Irish food companies are not in a position to meet the requirements of the non-national chain stores, I am not aware of any instances of unfair or inequitable treatment of companies by those stores. The proof of this can be seen in the fact that in the past six years sales of Irish produced food on the home market increased by over £1 billion.
The extent to which the Irish food industry can maintain and expand this market position will be contingent on its ability to maintain a competitive edge and its capability in this context, will, I believe, be underscored by the food-related provisions of the national development plan. The NDP provides for specific support measures that take account of the explicit requirements identified in the report of the food industry development group. These cover the key priority areas of food safety-quality, market access and competitiveness.
