Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed that the Minister is not taking the advice of the former Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Hogan, that we should seek designation for suckler beef. That is where we have a crisis. We need a distinctive marketing tool for Irish suckler beef. I am disappointed too that the Minister does not intend to consider my proposal in respect of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. Certain tools available to the Government could help to provide transparency. These are preferable to expecting farmers to come forward with documentary evidence on the lack of competition.

As we all know, serious concerns have been expressed regarding lack of competition and control of the offal sector. I put it to the Minister that the future bottleneck in getting product to market will be determined on the basis of who owns the beef blockchain.

That will be the offal of the future and the State must control it. I ask the Minister to provide assurances that the State will develop a beef block chain, will control and own it and that it will not be left to a processor or group of processors to control it, thereby effectively controlling access to both the market and the consumer.

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