Mr. Tim Cullinan:

We could give it guidance. The Senator mentioned farmers being dressed up and all of this that goes on. I will bring us back to June of last year when one of the discounters was using fake brands and fake creameries. The advertising was incorrect and when our association took a stand and highlighted this in the media, which was the proper thing to do, it did not go down very well with that particular discounter. It took a challenge against us, went all the way to the High Court and sought an injunction against our association, which was highlighting fake branding by that discounter. That was very concerning. The outcome was correct in that the judge saw that the discounter was incorrect in what it was doing. Not alone did he not grant the injunction, he granted us our costs on the day. We should not have to go to those lengths to try to protect our sectors. That is the length we had to go to last year. The reason I referred to that is the Senator asked me about a survey. I have not engaged in a survey. Like him, I believe we need to sit around the table with these people and engage, as I said, with all the actors in the chain. That is the survey we need.

I will go back to what the Senator said, which is very important. The Seanad is a very useful part of the Houses of the Oireachtas. It goes back to us needing every bit of support we can get. He is correct about the food ombudsman. We need more around this legislation and around a regulator that will get in there and will see whether the margin is with the retailer or processor. The other side of it is that I am asking the Senator for the support of the Seanad tonight, in getting the legislation to stop, once and for all, this practice of below-cost selling.