Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Tacon for her very informative presentation. I would have liked her comments to address the whole supply chain. However, that is not a criticism; Ms Tacon has outlined what she does in the UK and I accept that fully. If suppliers have more confidence in the supply chain, that must represent progress. Ms Tacon has said clearly that she has no involvement with the primary producer and her remit is between suppliers and retailers. We see some very attractive promotions offered in retail stores. Does Ms Tacon investigate who carries the cost for those promotions? In the past we have had a lot of allegations about so-called "hello money", which a supplier must pay to get a product onto the shelves of the big retailers. Has Ms Tacon heard complaints about having to pay hello money to get space on major retailers' shelves?

Ms Tacon has stated clearly to us that she has no input into the price paid by the consumer to cover the cost of production. She has no remit there, so I will not broaden my discussion into that area. She has also stated that her remit concerns the protection of the consumer. That is well and good, but we definitely have serious concerns about the primary producers and how long they can survive the price squeeze on them. I raised the protection of the consumer and of the supplier. Is the lowest possible price in the consumer's interest in the medium to long term? We are getting to the point where we must consider the quality of food being produced and how sustainable it is. I know Ms Tacon has clearly stated that the primary producer is outside her remit, but the consumer is within her remit. With respect, I would say that it is in the long-term interest of the consumer for the producer to get a viable return.