Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 December 2025
390. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of investigations currently under way relating to unpaid debts owed by meat processors to primary producers; the scale of the debts identified; and the systems in place to protect farmers from late or non-payment by processors. [68740/25]
View answerThe Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023 established An Rialálaí Agraibhia (The Agri-Food Regulator) as an independent statutory body under the aegis of my Department.
The Regulator performs
• an enforcement function in relation to unfair trading practices in the agricultural and food supply chain with a view to strengthening the position of smaller suppliers against larger buyers with greater bargaining power, and
• a price and market analysis function, aimed at ensuring more transparency and fairness throughout the agri-food supply chain.
An Rialálaí Agraibhia is the designated Enforcement Authority for the provisions of The Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023, which is the current transposition of EU Directive (2019/633) on Unfair Trading Practices into Irish law
As the Enforcement Authority, An Rialálaí Agraibhia has extensive powers to investigate alleged breaches of the 16 specific unfair trading practices set down by the Act and secured Ireland’s first successful conviction for a breach of unfair trading practice rules in 2024.
As an independent body, the number of investigations An Rialálaí Agraibhia is currently undertaking is an operational matter for the Regulator. However, I want to assure the Deputy that any primary producer or small business that believes themselves to have been the victim of an unfair trading practice can contact the Regulator in confidence through the channels available on their website at:
www.agrifoodregulator.ie/whatwedo/enforcingunfairtradinglaw/howtomakeacomplaint/[]
