Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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845. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of plans for a food ombudsman. [4573/22]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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848. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the establishment of the office of a national food ombudsman or regulator; the functions and powers that will be assigned to the ombudsman or regulator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4584/22]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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849. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any candidates have been identified for the role of the national food ombudsman or regulator; if so, if the candidates applied for the role through a public process or were nominated by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4585/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 845, 848 and 849 together.

The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government includes a commitment for a new office of National Food Ombudsman to enforce the Unfair Trading Practices Directive and to have a role in analysing and reporting on price and market data in Ireland. The establishment of the new Office requires primary legislation which my Department is progressing at present.

In April 2021, I signed Statutory Instrument No. 198 of 2021 transposing the UTP Directive directly into Irish law before the 1 May deadline for transposition.

In 2021, I also established the UTP Enforcement Authority in my Department on an interim basis pending the finalization of the primary legislation for the new Office. The Enforcement Authority has been assigned all the necessary legal powers to investigate complaints from suppliers, including primary producers, to carry out investigations on its own initiative, and to initiate legal proceedings for breaches of the UTPs defined in the Directive. It is open to suppliers to engage with the Enforcement Authority on any concerns they may have in relation to unfair trading practices.

With regard to the status of the plans for the establishment of the new Office of Food Ombudsman or equivalent, preparations for the General Scheme of the Bill for the primary legislation are well advanced, and I hope to bring a Memo to Government on this shortly.

Once the primary legislation is finalised and the new Office is established, the Enforcement Authority functions will transfer to the new Office in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government. The new Office will also carry out the function of price reporting and market analysis to provide for greater transparency in the sector.

With regard to the Head of the new Office, a recruitment process for this role will be commenced as soon as possible, in alignment with the legislative process.

I am confident that the new Office will bring increased transparency to the agri-food sector and that the increased availability of market information will strengthen the position of primary producers and other suppliers in the agricultural and food supply chain.