Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The reality is that the European Union is aware of the problem posed by retailers and processors' power, but the Minister did not deem what is probably the greatest challenge facing us important enough to put it at the top of the Common Agricultural Policy reform agenda. What are we doing with the CAP moneys? Compared with this time last year, a much higher percentage of the amount a consumer pays for beef is going to processors and retailers than to farmers. The main indirect beneficiary is the retailer. The Government has put the money through the farmer to rich and powerful vested interests because it will not tackle them.

It is interesting that the Government claims it cannot have regulation or control price. I would like to have a real debate on the issue. The telecommunications industry has a regulator in the light of the small number of dominant players in it and the regulator controls price. In the electricity supply industry-----

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