Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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737. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the establishment of a food ombudsman; the powers that this office will have to enforce the unfair trading directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52821/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, in April of 2021, I signed Statutory Instrument SI No. 198 of 2021 which sets out the Regulations to give effect in Irish law to EU Directive No. 2019/633 on Unfair Trading Practices in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain.

At that time, I also established the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Enforcement Authority in my Department on an interim basis.

The Authority is currently operating with all necessary legal powers, including to investigate complaints from suppliers of agricultural and food products and to initiate legal proceedings for breaches of unfair trading practices defined in the UTP Directive.

The drafting of primary legislation to establish the new independent statutory body to deal with fairness and transparency in the agri-food sector has been progressing.

In March this year, the Heads of the Agri-Food Bill 2022 were approved by Government. The Heads of the Bill were published on my Department’s website and were submitted to the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine for pre-legislative scrutiny. In June, I met with the Joint Committee to discuss the draft Bill, and the committee completed their report and submitted their recommendations on 6^thOctober.

I assure you that I am giving careful consideration to all recommendations put forward by the Committee and work is progressing on the drafting of the final bill, which I hope can be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible.

Once established, the new Office shall take over the enforcement functions of the interim UTP Enforcement Authority, and will also provide a price and market analysis reporting function.

I am confident that the new Office will help strengthen the position of our farmers, fishers, and other suppliers of agricultural and food products. This will be an office with real teeth that will support our farm families and primary producers.