Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to comment on the news coming from the Cabinet today that the food ombudsman legislation is being moved forward, which is something we need to welcome. This House needs to be actively involved in that engagement. We spoke about having the ability to put a body in place to help the food industry, to help the farmer at the farm gate and to show there is the ability to get a fair price. It is part of the programme for Government and something we all support. I would be concerned that this is a watered-down version of the food ombudsman. The terminology of “ombudsman” has been taken out of the legislation in the heads of the Bill and we need clarity regarding whether this new body will have the teeth required to regulate this industry. We have spoken at length about farmers getting an appropriate price at the farm gate. This is the legislation we have all been talking about. It is in the programme for Government and the terminology of “food ombudsman” was in the programme for Government. Unfortunately, in the legislation published this afternoon, the heads of the Bill do not have that terminology. It is about getting the core aim of this Bill right, and that has to be a fair price for the farmers at the farm gate.