Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the approval by the Cabinet of the agricultural and food supply chain Bill 2022, which is now ready to be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas. When this important Bill is enacted, it will establish a new independent statutory authority to be known as an rialtóir agraibhia, or the agrifood regulator. The legislation is being progressed by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue. I am delighted that the Minister and the Government have approved this Bill. It fulfils a programme for Government commitment to ensure fairness, equity and transparency in the food chain by establishing a new authority. I do not believe there is anybody within the confines of the House today who does not realise that for many years there have been issues in respect of a fair price for produce for many people in the agricultural industry, particularly small suppliers. The agrifood regulator will be empowered with real teeth and will be a strong advocate for farmers, fishers and all food producers. It will shine a light on the sector to help to improve the position of the primary producer and will also bring greater transparency and fairness. The regulator will promote and enforce the principle of fairness and transparency for the agrifood business, in particular. The regulator's price and market analysis and reporting function will bring greater transparency to the sector in general. The Bill provides that the new office will be led by a board and will have a CEO. The competition to appoint a CEO is well progressed at this stage.

The unfair trading practices, UTP, directive is currently enforced by the interim UTP enforcement authority in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The enabling provisions in the agricultural and food supply chain Bill 2022 provide for the transfer of responsibility for UTP enforcement functions to the remit of a new regulator. This is crucially important. I understand that the Minister and the Government will not be hanging around in respect of this issue. It is long overdue. As I said, it was a commitment in the programme for Government. It is now going to happen fairly rapidly.

Payments to 71,000 farmers under the 2022 fodder scheme have just commenced and are under way. These small payments range from a couple of hundred euro up to €1,000. This scheme was brought in by the Minister and the Government last year, and 71,000 farmers are benefiting from it. The important point is that the Government will be running the scheme again next year. I remind all in the farming community who qualify that they have until midnight on 5 December to make their applications.