Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 153: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will make a statement on her proposed code of conduct for the grocery sector. [4838/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Renewed Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to "implement a Code of Practice for doing business in the Grocery Goods sector to develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers" and "to review progress of the Code and if necessary to put in place a mandatory code".

It is my intention to give effect to this commitment by including a specific provision in the legislation, currently being prepared by my Department to merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority, which will allow for the introduction of statutory Codes of Practice in areas such as the grocery goods sector. In the interim until the legislation is enacted, I intend to explore with all the relevant stakeholders the possibilities of agreeing a Voluntary Code which would respect the interests of all parties. It is my view that a Voluntary Code offers stakeholders the opportunity to develop a Code which is most appropriate to the dynamics of the grocery goods sector and which could also form the basis of any subsequent statutory Code.

The Government is strongly committed to ensuring that Ireland continues to have vibrant agri food and retail sectors, particularly given the importance of these sectors to the national economy. The Government considers it important, therefore, that there is balance in the relationship between the various players in the grocery goods sector. The introduction of a Code of Practice, as provided for in the Programme for Government, is intended to achieve such a balance taking into account the interests of all stakeholders in the grocery goods sector including the interests of the consumer and the need to ensure that there is no impediment to the passing-on of lower prices to consumers.