Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

343. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the intended timeframe for the establishment of a food ombudsman; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4905/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to:

Ensure fairness, equity, and transparency in the food chain by establishing a new authority called the National Food Ombudsman (NFO) to enforce the Unfair Trading Practices Directive. This new authority will enforce EU-wide rules on prohibited unfair trading practices in the food supply chain and will have powers to enforce this Directive, penalising those who breach regulations. The NFO will have a specific role in analysing and reporting on price and market data in Ireland.

The UTP Directive provides for the establishment of an Enforcement Authority and this can be implemented using secondary legislation provided the powers assigned to that Authority do not go beyond those set out in the Directive. The UTP Directive will be transposed as it stands by 1st May 2021. The legislative and operational requirements for establishing a new Office of a Food Ombudsman or equivalent that might provide for functions other than those provided for in the UTP Directive are being examined. The preparation of legislation for UTP functions that go beyond the UTP Directive or that needs to provide for other functions would require a longer timeframe. My Department is giving this matter priority.