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

I ask the Minister of State to also explain the absence of the Ministers of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is extraordinary that they would plan their diaries so that they would all be away when the Dáil is sitting.

I do not even know where to start in response to the reply given by the Minister of State because not taking currency fluctuations into account is ridiculous. We know when a currency loses value, as the euro has done, that should be to the advantage of exporters. Therefore, comparing both prices in either euro or sterling shows exactly what I have said, namely, that the differential has widened from 70 cent last year to 110 cent this year. There is a constant mantra from this Government, which I know is right-wing and laissez-faire, that we cannot interfere. In Britain, there is a grocery code adjudicator in place. Will the Minister of State outline to the House the regulations that the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, intends to introduce in that regard?

It is very interesting to note that the EU Commissioner, Mr. Phil Hogan, a former Fine Gael Deputy who served in the Department to which Deputy Coffey is now attached, does not think the EU should stand back and allow a small number of supermarkets to rule the roost. He is keen on European intervention and regulation, if necessary, to bring the supermarkets to heel. This brings me to my next point. I am flabbergasted the Minister of State made no mention of the horticulture industry in his reply. I call on the Government to urge the supermarkets not to repeat what happened in 2013 and to ensure that both green grocers and those in the horticulture industry are not decimated by the reckless practices and over-weaning dominance of the supermarket chains. If the Minister of State is worried about the lawfulness of this, he should refer to Article 45 of the Constitution which requires the Government to ensure that big business does not abuse dominance in the market to the detriment of the common good.

See this speech in context