Mr. Fergal O'Leary:

I accept there is disappointment about the role of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and I understand the strength of feeling. As somebody who holds a senior role in this organisation, I would be disappointed if anybody saw us as not being constructive. Over the past several years, with the incoming transposition of the unfair trading practices directive, we have gone a little beyond our role in suggesting measures which could address issues in this sector. We will continue to do that because we see the difficulties in this area. Our frustration is that the measures being proposed to solve the issues will not, in our professional opinion, do so. That is why we are coming back to this idea that if one wants to address buyer power and sustainability, then a much broader perspective needs to be taken than our current groceries regulations or competition policy. That is where it comes back to the idea of the sectoral regulator which could be a way forward, along with the existing supports from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. There are many mechanisms in place but there are market intervention mechanisms and instruments not in place which we believe should be.