Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Jan, 2022 to 30 Apr, 2022
Specific Details
Retail Food Ombudsman/Food Regulator
Intended results
To secure a commitment from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine that the establishment of the office of a food regulator will be given Government priority in 2022.
The Government allocated €4m in Budget 2022 to the Office of the Food Ombudsman/Food regulator. There has been funded allocated in two consecutive budgets, yet there is still no Office established. A public consultation was carried out in April 2021 and no report has ever been published following this process.
While this will be important for all food producers, it is essential for those farmers involved in vegetable, fruit and other fresh produce which is on the retail shelf (or in foodservice) within days of leaving the farm gate. Without this regulator, who must have real statutory powers of enforcement, these sectors are extremely vulnerable.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Tim Cullinan IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Micheál Martin
An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Brendan Gleeson
Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Patrick Donohoe
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Pippa Hackett
Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Martin Heydon
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Barry Cassidy
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Jack O'Donnell
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)