Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The Government has held discussions with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the introduction of a code of practice, an issue we discussed in the House on previous occasions. Progress is being made in this regard. Following a period of consultation, the Tánaiste has indicated that she will introduce a voluntary code which will be followed by a statutory code. We all hope progress will be made in this matter to ensure farmers obtain a fair price for their produce.

Deputy Cuffe referred specifically to horticulture and noted a trend which is of major concern to me, namely, the loss of growers to the system arising from their inability to compete and satisfy the supermarkets owing to the scale of their operations. Rather than engage in direct sales or another form of retail, these growers are leaving the sector. My focus, therefore, has been to encourage other routes to market. I have, for instance, introduced a standard for farmers' markets to ensure members of the public can have a credible expectation that farmers will be involved in the markets and they will be local in nature. This matter is being progressed.

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