Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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45. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made on the Programme for Government commitment to establish a new authority called the national food ombudsman to enforce the Unfair Trading Practices Directive. [38549/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, in April 2021, I signed the Statutory Instrument transposing the UTP Directive directly into Irish law. 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.

As the Deputy may also be aware, the Heads of the Agr-Food Bill 2022 were approved by government on 22^ndMarch this year, published on my Department’s website and submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the context of pre-legislative scrutiny. The Bill was also sent to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for detailed drafting at that time and my Department continues to liaise with that Office to finalise the draft Bill.

On 29^thJune last I met with the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine to discuss the draft Bill. The session was constructive, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the Committee Chairperson and all members for their feedback and comments.

I look forward to receiving the Committee's report on the pre-legislative scrutiny process as soon as possible.

In the meantime, I want to assure the Deputy, that the Unfair Trading Practices Regulations continue to be enforced by the interim Enforcement Authority located in my Department. I would encourage any supplier or buyer of agri-food products to familiarise themselves with their rights and obligations under the Regulations via the Enforcement Authority’s website: www.utp.gov.ie.

Anyone who feels they have been impacted by one of the 16 unfair trading practices can find out how to make a complaint in absolute confidence at the same location.

To coincide with enactment or commencement of the Bill, the current UTP Regulations will be repealed. I will use the enabling provisions in the draft Bill to make new Regulations providing for the transfer of responsibility for UTP enforcement functions from my Department to the remit of the new Office.

I am confident that the new Office will be one with real teeth and will help strengthen the position of our farmers, fishers, and other suppliers of agricultural and food products in negotiating a fairer price for their produce. It is my intention to present the final draft of the Bill to the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible.