Public consultation on establishing new Food Ombudsman opens
A new Food Ombudsman is to be established in Ireland and Minister Charlie McConalogue has launched a public consultation in respect of the matter. Picture: Damian Coleman.
A public consultation has been launched with regard to the setting up of a National Food Ombudsman in Ireland.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue made the announcement this week after highlighting at a Beef Taskforce meeting on Thursday that a Food Ombudsman would be in situ by later this year.
The new office will analyse and report on price and market data in Ireland as well as incorporating Enforcement Authority functions required by the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Directive.
The Minister said he wants the Food Ombudsman to bring a greater level of transparency to all parts of the supply chain.
“I am fully committed to ensuring fairness, equity and transparency in the agricultural and food supply chain,” he continued.
“The establishment of the new office is an important step towards achieving that.
“The outcome of this consultation will help to determine the principles and policies to be included in the new legislation and the powers to be assigned to the new office.
“I expect to announce shortly the transposition of the UTP Directive as it stands through secondary legislation; this consultation includes an opportunity for input from the public on additional functions that can and should be assigned to the new office,“
IFA, meanwhile, has warned the new ombudsman must be able “to hold processors and retailers to account”.
The organisation’s president Tim Cullinan said that while he acknowledged the move, “there cannot be any foot dragging with setting up this office”.
“It must have full powers of investigation, the ability to make findings, and the authority to impose sanctions,” he added.
“At present, farmers feel that processors and retailers are abusing their dominant market positions with impunity and that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has failed farmers.
“The recurring evidence of large retailers dominating the market with excessive buying power has to stop.
“This drives prices to farmers to unviable levels, often below the cost of production.
“At present, only 6% of farmers in Ireland are under 35 years of age.
“We will not attract young people into the sector unless they get a fair return for what they produce.” The public consultation can be found at www.gov.ie
