Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 July 2020
248. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made to date by the beef market task force; the intended role of a beef ombudsman; the way in which the role of same will be of potential benefit to producers; his plans to meet with meat processors and producers; and his views on the effectiveness of the task force in producing tangible benefits for beef farmers. [19391/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast year, the Beef Taskforce was established to provide the leadership to develop a sustainable pathway for the future of the beef sector in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. The Taskforce is providing a robust implementation structure for commitments entered into in the Beef Talks Agreement of 15th September 2019, with timelines and stakeholder engagement. Substantial progress has been made to date in the implementation of the actions under the agreement. The Beef Taskforce offers a suitable platform for strategic engagement with all the key stakeholders, including retailers and regulatory authorities, and thus has the capacity to provide long term benefits for the entire sector. The Programme for Government states the commitment and support of the Government for the Beef Taskforce and its work.
There is a specific page on my Department's website dedicated to the Beef Taskforce at https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/beef/beeftaskforce/. This webpage contains the agreement reached on 15 September, the Terms of Reference for the Taskforce and updates on progress to date.
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to the establishment of a new authority to be called the National Food Ombudsman to enforce the provisions of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive, which must be transposed into Irish law by 1 May 2021. Any proposed measures that extend beyond the minimum harmonisation requirements of the UTP Directive would require primary legislation.
My Department has been in consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in preparation for the transposition into national legislation of the Directive. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), under the aegis of that Department is the enforcement authority for S.I. No. 35/2016 (Groceries Goods Undertakings Regulations, 2016).
The legal and operational matters associated with the transposition of the UTP Directive and the associated Programme for Government commitment are currently being assessed.
I have had initial meetings with Industry and farmer representative organisations, and I look forward to ongoing constructive engagement. My Department officials have regular engagement with sector stakeholders on a range of issues.
