Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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256. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to establish a food ombudsman similar to the UK to ensure the primary food producers get a fair price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7801/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, signed The Irish Grocery Goods Undertakings Regulations 2016, which came into effect on 30 April 2016 (S.I. No. 35 of 2016). The Regulations apply to food and drink retailers and wholesalers/group of related companies with a worldwide turnover of over €50 million. They prohibit a number of practices and are enforced by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) as provided by Act of the Oireachtas.

Relevant grocery goods undertakings (RGGUs) must submit their first annual compliance reports to the CCPC by 31 March 2017, including a detailed account of compliance, including where a breach or alleged breach of the regulations has been identified by, or notified to them and steps taken to rectify it. It is important to assess these reports for the first year of operation of the new regime, before considering initiating further legislation. In this connection I would like to note that nether the UK nor the Irish Regulations guarantee prices; they regulate practices.