Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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Below-cost selling and inflation in the cost of growing vegetables have resulted in the decimation of farmers’ margins. The IFA is calling for the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022 to be amended in the Seanad. Amendments were tabled to the Bill to give the regulator more powers, especially to investigate anti-competitive practices and below-cost selling. For some reason, though, the Minister rejected those. He seems to believe the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, is there to do that. He is opposed to the notion of banning below-cost selling. There is a belief within the Department that this mechanism is working but we do not believe it is. If it were working, it would not be raised at our meetings whenever we have these discussions. What is the IFA’s view? Does it believe that the CCPC has the ability to tackle these issues? I understand that similar conversations were held when the Bill was being discussed by the committee. Has there been any engagement between the IFA and the CCPC or has the CCPC given the IFA any indication that the matter is on its agenda?