Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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16. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the move by the ABP Food Group to take a 50% stake in Slaney Foods; the effect this will have on competition in the beef and lamb processing sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2308/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The State, through the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, has an existing and well established infrastructure for oversight of competition matters and for dealing with allegations of anti-competitive practices or abuse of a dominant position. I understand that acquisitions or mergers of organisations with turnover exceeding certain statutory thresholds are required to be notified to that body or the EU Commission, which conduct an assessment to determine whether there will be any “substantial lessening of competition”. The acquisition referred to by the Deputy will be subject to the relevant statutory requirements under competition law. I as Minister for Agriculture can have no role in adjudicating on this matter.

However as with any matter to be considered by an authority there is a well established regulatory process for the assessment of this sale referred to by the Deputy to ensure that consumers or other businesses do not suffer or that the merger or acquisition does not lead to a reduction in competition.