Results 7,441-7,460 of 23,957 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The key point is the effectiveness of the office and the work it does, not necessarily its title. I have heard a lot of floating of the regulator idea, including a meat regulator. However, when one probes further, there is very little detail as to what is meant by that and the substance of what is being suggested. The key point is that we have an office that brings transparency and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: First, there was evidence and case law assessed around the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol, for example, that indicated and gave a strong basis that if we were introducing minimum pricing, it needed be for health reasons as opposed to other reasons, and that if we were doing it for other reasons, it would constitute market interference. Minimum unit pricing would seem...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: A key role will be to examine and shine a light on what is happening in the supply chain. The way to do so is to assess where the market is at and trace that back. Also, the body will monitor changes over time, analyse the dynamic behind them, assess whether the changes are related and shine a light on the situation. That is going to be a key function of this office. Also, the office will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There are world markets for a lot of products such as grain, milk, etc. and the prices tend to equalise. For example, the price of milk around the world is similar. Therefore, one does not expect too much variation in what happens. The key thing, particularly concerning anti-competitiveness or cartel-like behaviour, is people coming together to keep prices lower than what they should be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I ask Mr. Kinsella to comment on the role played by competition law, etc. I do think that having an independent office generates credibility. It keeps a close watch on the market, shines a light on what happens in the market and monitors all of that. Such work can be very helpful in identifying what is happening in the market and the dynamics. One can move from paying above the European...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Therefore, having a separate office that can and does price reporting, and can examine a matter, shine a light on it and speak with authority about what is happening will be a good thing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The new office can make reports and recommendations to the CCPC and my Department. This is about having an office that can trace and assess what happens in the market, assess movements in the international market, into which we sell and that determines our price, and then being able to call out and put pressure in terms of what happens there. Obviously cartel-like behaviour is a criminal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It will have in terms of the unfair trading practices that are listed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There is also broader capacity. There is a legal requirement to collate that information but there is broader capacity for it to commission reports outside of that and seek further information. One of the key capacities here is going to be the proactive capacity to assess what is going on in the market. One of the legal requirements as a starting point is to be an authoritative collector...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The next item, Head 9(1)(d), requires it to publish regular analysis and reports on price and market information or contingency issues in regard to the agricultural and food supply chain. The next point provides for the powers and functions to conduct and commission research studies and surveys.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It makes it a legal requirement to do that very point but it has much broader capacity than that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It will be through the Public Appointments Service. There will be two primary producers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There is no point unless there is another one called.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: We had better go over so. I do not have a pairing arrangement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There is a legal obligation that two members must be primary producers. This legal obligation is specified in the proposed legislation. Ms Robinson will clarify a further point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The board is open to remuneration, and it is expected that will be in line with similar boards. This is all to be decided. Most State boards do not pay a whole lot, but there is recompense in respect of what is involved for the members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The proposed Bill is silent on this matter.