Victor Boyhan (Independent)

The Minister is welcome. Before I kick off, I wish him and his colleagues in Bord Bia every success this week for Bloom. I was out there the other day having a look, and tomorrow they kick off with that. I thank the Minister for his collaboration with Bord Bia and hope it will be a fantastic and successful event.

Today, I am speaking on and pursuing a call by the IFA president, Mr. Francie Gorman, who has called for the Minister to grant additional powers to the Agri-Food Regulator. The IFA says these powers are needed so that the Agri-Food Regulator can compel businesses in the agri-food supply chain to provide price and marketing information when requested. The office of the Agri-Food Regulator, as the Minister knows, has overall responsibility for the enforcement of the unfair trading practices, UTP, directive. The regulator also has an important role to play with regard to analysing the market, the data and the price transparency regime.

The IFA is calling on the Minister to grant the regulator additional powers, and it makes a very strong case. The Minister will be aware of a recent press release it issued where it said this is essential to beef up the powers and functions of the regulator and to deal with issues around compliance with the regulator. The IFA says it is aware of a number of large retailers that did not provide information to the Agri-Food Regulator when asked. I am aware of some of those suggested people who did not involve themselves but it is not appropriate for me to put that on the floor of the House because due process must prevail. The Minister will appreciate that himself.

The Minister and his Department are aware of the IFA's assertions. They are serious and critical. We must instil transparency and confidence in the regulator, as was envisaged in the legislation. It is important that they be investigated. The regulator should be in a position to produce - the Minister will agree with this, as it was the backbone of the legislation - the price and market reports of the sector with respect to the food supply chain.

I ask the Minister to comment on the additional powers. The food regulator must carry out its functions. There must be reliable and verifiable sources of information it can stand over, so data is critical with regard to analysing the supply chain and the engagement and collaboration of all sides. The point about all sides is important. I know IBEC has concerns, and we must look at the concerns of everyone in the sector, but the regulator is also required to publish the regulatory analysis and the reports, as I said. That is important. Transparency is important throughout the food chain. The Minister will often come across the suggestion of over-regulatory burden. It is a phrase that is used a lot. I am not in the business of over-regulation but if the food regulator is to carry out its functions it must have the right to compel all information that is accurate and verifiable. That is the request. The Minister will have had time to consider it - he may need more time to consider it - but the IFA has made a call and expressed concerns. We need to examine them because everybody must benefit from the legislation in terms of the regulator. It is about confidence in the sector, but it is about fairness too. It is about accuracy and due process. We must take on board IBEC's concerns but we must also respond to what is a call now by the IFA and others to give additional regulatory powers to the regulator. Ultimately that is a matter for the Minister. He may decide to bring in amendments to legislation or to introduce primary legislation. I would be interested to hear his view on that.