Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I oppose this amendment. The Bill is specific as to what are considered to be agrifood unfair trading regulations. These will concern business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain, and the Bill provides for a range of unfair trading practices in that context. I am satisfied that the Bill is clear as to what unfair trading regulations are required to cover. Adding a reference to anti-competitive practices will, I believe, increase the scope to include powers that are wider than the agrifood unfair trading regulations provided for in the Bill. In particular, expanding the remit of the regulator to have power for anti-competitive practices defined in the Competition Act would lead to two competition authorities, with the possibility for duplication and overlap. This was not the intention of the Bill or the commitment in the programme for Government. If, however, during an investigation of an unfair trading practice, UTP, the regulator suspects there may be a suspicion of non-compliance with competition law, including anti-competitive practices, the regulator can and should provide that information to the CCPC.

I therefore oppose the amendment.