The Government is to give new powers to the Agri-Food Regulator to allow it to compel large and medium-sized businesses, including processors and retailers, to provide it with price and market information for reports on particular sectors.
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is expected to seek Cabinet approval on Tuesday for new legislation which could see companies potentially face heavy fines for not co-operating with the regulator.
Informed sources said fines, on conviction, could range up to eight figures.
The Agri-Food Regulator had argued over the last year or so that new powers were essential if it was to fulfil its functions in relation to transparency in the agri-food supply chain which were envisaged under legislation.
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It is understood that the new legislation will also provide for a system to allow companies to appeal moves by the regulator to seek price and market information.
The board of the regulator had urged Mr Heydon and his predecessor, Charlie McConalogue, to provide it with additional powers.
The board was particularly concerned last year after a number of retail business did not co-operate with it on a report on the supply of eggs.
In March the regulator also said it had not been possible to produce a planned report on price and market trends in the horticulture sector, as a number of businesses did not provide the requested data.
The Irish Times reported in March that members of the board of the Agri-Food Regulator had expressed “concern and frustration” that the Government has not provided it with additional powers to force businesses to disclose price and market information for reporting purposes.
Chairman Joe Healy told Mr Heydon in a letter that such additional powers were essential if it was to fulfil its function of addressing the lack of transparency in the sector.
The board had urged Mr McConalogue in a submission in September 2024 to provide it with additional powers after a number of retail businesses did not co-operate with it on a report on the supply of eggs.
In the letter sent to Mr Heydon in February the board of the regulator said it was waiting for a formal response to the submission it had made the previous autumn.
“At a meeting of the board earlier this week, the concern and frustration of members was noted as the lack of progress on this matter is resulting in the inability of the regulator to fulfil a core function relating to the publishing of analysis on price and market data along the agri-food supply chain.”
In February Niamh Lenehan, the regulator’s chief executive, told an Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) horticulture and potato growers’ meeting it had not been possible to produce a planned report on price and market trends in the horticulture sector.
Addressing the meeting, Ms Lenehan said: “Similar to the regulator’s initial efforts to produce a report on the egg sector, the production of the envisaged horticulture report has not been possible as a number of businesses did not provide the requested data.”
“While we were pleased to see all but one of the contacted retailers and wholesalers engage with the regulator and provide data, a number of other businesses across the supply chain have not yet provided data. This once again highlights the need for the regulator to be granted additional powers to compel businesses to supply the necessary data so that we can fully deliver on our remit.”
