Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I seek clarification. I welcome the fact that the Minister has said there is a legislative approach. On last Thursday's Order of Business I asked the Minister for Finance whether he had any plans to bring in fair trade legislation and he said he did not. On foot of today's report, the Competition Authority's remit seems to be all about competition in the grocery sector being healthy in the short term for consumers, but there is nothing about competition for producers or transparency in how their prices are set and driven down on a whim. I have heard of invoices being reduced a further 20% by one of the major retailers this week. It is a carte blanche approach across the board and one has no say in it. That sort of behaviour cannot be allowed to continue.

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