Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Kerrane, Carthy, Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae. My objective in this legislation is to introduce something that will make a real difference on the ground, will bring transparency and will be implementable and effective.

I explained earlier about the below-cost selling and the example of beef and how that approach would not benefit farmers or consumers. That had been our experience with the groceries order, which was discontinued because it was not working and was not effective. Deputy Carthy is welcome to do it any stage in the future, should he have the opportunity, to reintroduce something that did not work in the past, added costs and did not benefit consumers or farmers.

I am about following through on a commitment that I gave in opposition, and on which Deputy Ó Cuív before me had initiated work as spokesperson on agriculture. It is one of the reasons we went into government. It was to deliver something meaningful that prioritises farmers and works to give fair play to farmers.

Amendment No. 18 seeks to provide for the regulator to be responsible for "anti-competitive actions in the agrifood supply chain”. There is reams of legislation covering that very issue under the Competition (Amendment ) Act. There is reams of legislation. By just putting one line in, it does not provide the legal architecture-----

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