Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I will answer the question in as straightforward a manner as I can. Commissioner Fischer Boel's opinion and work on the roadmap in respect of the communication on food prices will be implemented by the end of 2009. While having it sooner would be great, Deputy Doyle will understand the importance of the European market for us. While we need to proceed quickly, we cannot do so in isolation from the European Commission. In the meantime, other avenues are open to us.

As the Deputy stated, the supermarket chains dominate the food sector, but this issue must be addressed in its own right. A code of practice, be it mandatory or voluntary, will not change it, but it may be helped by having other access routes to market. There are many ways to address the matter that would allow us to save jobs and create new ones.

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