Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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762. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to putting in place a mechanism to allow for greater transparency along the entirety of the Irish food chain through the establishment of a regulator with sufficient powers such as a national food ombudsman (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12573/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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763. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made to date in respect of the establishment of the new office of the national food ombudsman, regulator or equivalent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12574/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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764. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding allocated in Budget 2021 and additional funding which had been allocated to date for the establishment of the new office of the national food ombudsman, regulator or equivalent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12575/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 762, 763 and 764 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 (UTP) 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, preparations for which are well advanced. I expect to bring a Memo to Government with the General Scheme of the Bill shortly.

In April 2021, I signed Statutory Instrument No. 198 of 2021 transposing the UTP Directive directly into Irish law before the 1st May 2021 deadline for transposition. At that time, I also established the UTP Enforcement Authority in my Department on an interim basis pending the finalisation of the primary legislation for the new Office.

The Enforcement Authority has been assigned all the necessary legal powers to investigate complaints from suppliers of agricultural and food products, to carry out investigations on its own initiative, and to initiate legal proceedings for breaches of the unfair trading practices defined in the Directive. It is open to those suppliers, including primary producers, to engage with the Enforcement Authority on any concerns they may have in relation to unfair trading practices.

When the new Office of National Food Ombudsman, or equivalent, is established, it shall not only take over the enforcement functions of the interim authority, but also carry out a price reporting and market analysis function for the agri-food supply chain in Ireland, a function I believe will bring greater transparency to the sector. Increased availability of market information will strengthen the position of primary producers and other smaller suppliers in the agricultural and food supply chain.  

In September 2021, I signed into law another Statutory Instrument which will give effect in Irish law to additional price reporting obligations for the meat and dairy sectors. This is an initiative which aims to improve food market price transparency in the EU.

With regard to the funding allocation for the new Office, which will be a new State body, a figure of €1 million was set aside in Budget 2021 for the establishment of the Office. However, given the complexity of the legislation and the requirement to transpose the Directive by 1 May 2021, it was not possible to establish the new Office in 2021. As the interim UTP Enforcement Authority was staffed by officers of my Department, financing required for staffing, premises and ancillary services such as IT was met by my Department’s administrative budget.

Budget 2022 provides an allocation of €4 million in the Vote of my Department for the establishment of the new Office. This will provide for the initial staffing of the Office, set up costs and premises. Budgetary requirements for the Office will be monitored on an on-going basis in consultation with the Department of Expenditure and Reform.

I believe increased price and market reporting and analysis will be an important tool, along with other initiatives including the establishment of the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Enforcement Authority and support for Producer Organisations, in strengthening the position of primary producers.

Ensuring there is a long-term, sustainable and viable future for our farmers is a key priority of mine as Minister.