Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This body cannot introduce minimum pricing or get involved in cost of production. What the Minister is saying is that if a bad price is given, the body can put out a list of the general run of things in Ireland, the rest of Europe and the rest of the world along with the cost of production. What is the value of this to a farmer? The body has no mandatory power to tell somebody that if cattle are at €5, the price should be €5.25. It can highlight the discrepancies it sees but going by what the Minister is saying, it cannot interfere in the market. I am trying to get my head around what extra value this body will have other than highlighting the problems. If the body thinks a cartel is in existence, does it have the power to seize whatever evidence exists?