Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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31. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the final regulations for the grocery goods sector, as provided for under the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014, will be signed into law; and if his attention has been drawn to any current practices by large retailers that are unduly and unfairly burdening their suppliers. [12096/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Governmentcontains a commitment to regulate certain practices in the grocery goods sector and this will be met by way of enabling powers to regulate certain practices in the grocery good sector. These powers are contained in the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014. On 22 December 2014, I issued a set of draft regulations for public consultation with a deadline for submissions of the end of February 2015. However, some respondents requested an extension of the deadline into March 2015 for submissions. The content of submissions received are currently being fully considered before the final version of the regulations is promulgated, and the regulations are signed by me, as soon as possible during 2015.

Allegations of unfair practice in the grocery goods sector have been made over a number of years. As the Deputy will know, I have consistently emphasised that it is important to ensure there is balance in the relationship between the various players in the grocery goods sector and that Ireland continues to have robust agri-food and retail sectors, particularly given the importance of these sectors to the national economy. The regulation of certain practices in the grocery goods sector 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.