Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is what we call for in our motion. I recognise that, if consumer prices are down, one must accept the price. However, we must face two realities. The majority of Irish beef is sold within the EU and all liquid milk is sold within the island, as are virtually all horticultural products. That a small number of multiples dominate the EU is an important issue. A speech given by Commissioner Cioloş on 24 September was interesting: "In parallel, the Commission will continue to work in the broader context of the structure of the food chain to promote a better balance, transparency and honesty in relationships within the food chain." The Commissioner said what we have been saying. I do not doubt his advisers have also been saying this is a significant issue. I am heartened by Mr. Hogan’s approach. We are arguing for an examination of the relationship between the multiples, processors and primary producers.

I also accept, and the motion makes clear by mentioning the EU time and again, that this issue cannot be addressed in an Irish context alone because we export most of our product. The Minister can ensure his colleague makes this the No. 1 issue for his tenure as Commissioner. In the meantime, we want a beef regulator, not to set the price but to ensure fair trading. The regulator would oversee the industry's practices in terms of pricing and specification and ensure openness, fairness and transparency.

I recognise what the Minister and the North's Minister O'Neill have done on the nomad issue, but he needs to finalise it. He needs to lean hard on Tesco, a large multiple that makes millions of euro in Ireland. Its reluctance could unravel the entire deal across all the supermarkets. He must tell it to agree to the labelling of beef born and bred in the South and slaughtered in the North as Irish. We must all lean on Tesco, but the Minister is the front player.

We all know of bureaucratic barriers, difficulties and problems regarding live exports. Unnecessary barriers must be removed because we need a certain level of live exports to keep manners on processors.

An issue keeps arising and it is time that we got the truth. I constantly receive allegations at meetings, and I do not know whether they are true, about imports of Polish beef by Irish processors that subsequently resell it as Irish beef.

9 o’clock

If the Minister seeks more details on the allegations, I will give them to him in confidence after this debate. However, these allegations are being made continuously to me. It is important that Members know exactly what is being done to stamp out such a practice, if it is being carried out.

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