Mr. Brian Rushe:

The first question was on whether the Minister should investigate the price disparity. The answer is "Yes", given some of the statistics we have found on the difference in prices between North and South, between the UK and Ireland and even between some of the regions. The figure that sticks out for me is the peak gas price. Since its peak, it has reduced by 80%. In the UK, the price of fertiliser has decreased by 50% in the same period. It looks to be the same in France. In Ireland, it has only decreased by 10%. That is massive.

I will cite a couple of figures from the CSO. In February 2023, a tonne of urea cost approximately €905 in Ireland. According to statistics from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, AHDB, in the UK, the same product cost €589 there at that time. That is a large disparity. UK imports urea just like we do. As such, there is undoubtedly an issue and the Minister and Department should be investigating it.

The Deputy's second question was on whether there was a role for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC. It regularly deals with issues to do with the cost of food, insurance and so on, but it would also seem to have a role to play in examining wholesale prices for farmers as well as for other sectors.