Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I asked a number of questions but as they may not have been clear, I will ask them again. What connections, if any, do Meat Industry Ireland members have with factories in Northern Ireland, Britain or further afield in Europe? Do they have shareholders who also own shares in factories in other jurisdictions?

In regard to specifications, does a group of humans sit around a table to agree on specifications? It is informative that Mr. Fitzgerald did not agree with the Derrypatrick specifications. I am trying to understand the process. Who contributes to the development of specifications and with whom are they shared? Are they time limited? I noted the impressive increase in the number of retailers from 27 to more than 75, with more beef coming from Ireland over a 30 year period than from any other country. What role does the industry play in negotiating with retailers to bring us to this happy state? I also ask the witnesses to outline its relationship with Bord Bia. Would they accept there is a greater need for regulation in the industry, particularly in terms of the processes used to set factory gate prices?