Ms Niamh Brennan:

The strategy is very welcome. As we all know, it stemmed from Food Vision 2030. It is a policy that Government will follow so it is extremely welcome. We work alongside Bord Bia, the Department and Teagasc to try to implement the key strategic actions that are outlined in the strategy. In terms of retail engagement, the members will all be aware that we were acutely trying to get measures on below-cost selling put into the legislation on the food regulator and to make it part of the regulator's remit. Unfortunately, it did not make it into the legislation. As part of the strategy, we are trying to incorporate a voluntary charter that retailers would sign up to. We are looking at a mechanism to underpin the economic sustainability of growers through index linking to the cost of production. We hope the retailers will sign up to that. The legislation on the food regulator has been passed. We have an appointment but the office is still not up and running. I am informed that some legal entity now has to be set up. We need that to be established. We look forward to seeing what the role will look like. We have had a very positive engagement with Niamh Lenehan in which we informed her about the sector but it is critical that retailers engage through the horticulture industry forum and with Ms Lenehan to see what that would look like and how it could safeguard pricing in the future.