Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At the moment, our advice from the CCPC, which we are talking to actively on this, and to which we will continue to talk in the next few weeks, is that the conditions for a state of emergency are not there. Effectively, what the Government has chosen to do is to have a direct discussion with retailers, and to try to effectively ensure that competition should work as it is meant to with regard to food price inflation following general inflation, and the numbers coming down. If that is not happening, then the Government has to look at other options which are available to us, as other countries have done.

I would like to say that there are a number of examples of countries which have looked at price interventions and have decided not to go there, for what I think are very good reasons. It is the position we also hold. We do not think that is the appropriate intervention for now.