Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is a good point that we might look at with regard to amendments.

Dealing with the Government and Department, this is the best time to secure changes to legislation. They do not like to accept amendments from anybody else, since they would have to acknowledge it was someone else's idea. One can achieve anything if one lets someone else take the credit for it. We have to entice the Department and the Minister in the right direction. Mr. Cullinan raised points. The suggestion that compulsory reporting of price data would apply above a certain threshold is a fair proposition n the ICMSA's, submission. A small local retainer would not have to divulge information. What do the witnesses see that threshold as? Mr. McDonald talked about moving the debate from below-cost selling to below-cost procurement, which would be considered attractive.

I had this difficulty in the European Parliament when dealing with the original UTP legislation. Even the European Commission argued that it is almost impossible to identify and set out the cost of production, because it could be different for two different farmers depending on inputs and so on. Do the witnesses see a role for this new body if we moved in that direction? Could it be charged with setting out the sectoral costs of production that would underpin the legislation? They could then be set independently and would recognise the realities. Has the IFA sought any legal advice about whether it is possible for the Oireachtas to introduce such legislation? I assume it would have to be legally binding on imported products as well as domestically produced products, otherwise it would potentially undermine the objective.