Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also commend Deputy O'Reilly on bringing the motion before the House and wish the Minister of State well in his new post. Throughout the cost-of-living crisis, one matter we have consistently raised with members of the Government is the urgency of the issues facing people and the need to act accordingly, but the Government consistently fails to do this. It ended the eviction ban with no preparation made for the surge in homeless presentations, it dragged its feet on imposing a windfall tax on energy companies that have been posting record profits while people go to food banks and, in the budget, it failed to provide rate increases to social welfare and pension recipients to enable them to cope with inflation. Now with grocery price inflation running at 16.6% in the three months to the middle of April and the European Central Bank, ECB, highlighting how firms are using inflation to boost their own prices, we find ourselves in the House again appealing to the Minister of State.

Last week the Clonmel community food bank ran out of supplies. We get reports of children going into school hungry and unable to focus on their homework. This will have longer term consequences for some. That is a matter of extreme urgency and a disgrace under the Government's watch. I appeal to it to act now and instruct the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate possible price gouging and to promote and protect the interests and welfare of consumers.

I have been involved in debates on the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill that would establish a food regulator, which Sinn Féin has been demanding, to be responsible for enforcing agrifood unfair trading law but also having the capacity to address anti-competitive actions. I will grant the Minister has tabled some amendments to expand the regulator’s ability to analyse data impacting upon price and margins, but investigating anti-competitive actions in the agrifood supply chain has been resisted by him. While the majority of the focus at the committee has rightly been on the farmer, to get a firm view of anti-competitive measures we need the regulator to view all that happens along the line up to the consumer.

Sinn Féin has tabled amendments to this Bill but they have always been voted down. At one end of the agrifood chain farmers have traditionally been calling out the anti-competitive practices they have to deal with. Now the consumer is falling foul of similar practices. When will we address what we know is going on so that we can prevent poverty, hunger and all that goes with it and act to address these issues before they arise? We again appeal to the Minister of State to act, to address price gouging, give supports that are in line with the increased cost of living, and create a food regulator with teeth.

See this speech in context