Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1654. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to ban the below-cost selling of vegetables, fruit and potatoes. [28390/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The legislative powers to tackle the matters mentioned are under the auspices of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, together with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.  The Commission, which was established on 31 October 2014, is the statutory body responsible for enforcing consumer protection and competition law in Ireland.    

During 2014, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation introduced the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (No 29 of 2014).   The Act provides for the making of provisions for regulating certain practices in the grocery goods sector.

The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation implemented the Grocery Goods Regulations under this legislation in February 2016, applying to sales and supply contracts, renewed or entered into by producers and  growers with their retailers and supermarket multiples, with effect from 30 April 2016. These provisions will guide the supermarkets in how they deal with our producers in a fair and reasonable manner.

The price levels struck by growers with retail outlets are entirely a commercial matter.  Whilst it is not my role to set supermarket prices for agricultural products or to be involved in price negotiations between growers and retailers, I very much encourage greater co-operation and discussion between all parties in order to ensure the viability of the largest number of Irish growers possible.