Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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199. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he will be putting in place to ensure that we will never again have a situation where, before Christmas, some of the large retailers sold vegetables for virtually nothing, as this endangers the future viability of growers of this valuable food and totally distorts the market; if there is going to be an enforceable code of conduct in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3352/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is anxious to ensure the continued viability of the maximum number of vegetable producers in the country. However my Department has no role in the setting of prices which is a matter between the producer and the retailer.

Nonetheless work is underway in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on including an enabling provision in legislation in the Consumer Protection and Competition Bill, in relation to regulating certain practices in the grocery goods sector. My colleague, Minister Bruton hopes to publish this Bill shortly. The regulation of certain practices will not include pricing levels. At EU level a number of stakeholders participating in the High Level Forum on the better functioning of the food supply chain have agreed on a list of general and specific principles of good practice in commercial relations and they are now implementing this on a voluntary basis. The European Commission has indicated that it will review this in due course.

My Department and its agencies are committed to working closely with the horticulture sector on implementing the development vision in Food Harvest 2020 and on strengthening future viability as well as promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption.