THE GOVERNMENT HAS pushed out the introduction of planned new powers for the Agri-Food Regulator by a year.
In December, it was announced that the body was being granted increased powers to compel agri-food businesses to provide it with data around pricing, supply chains and salaries.
The new powers will also give the body the power to issue fines for non-compliance, with the aim of improving transparency and addressing information gaps in how retail food prices come to be.
However, it has emerged this week that the planned powers will not come into effect until 31 December 2026.
The delay has been deemed “incredible” by Social Democrats spokesperson for agriculture and food, Jennifer Whitmore.
Noting that the cost of living is “skyrocketing”, Whitmore said that by the time the powers come into effect, two and a half years will have passed since they were first requested by the regulator itself.
“People cannot afford basic groceries. Families are facing a severe cost-of-living crunch, yet the government is failing to respond with any sense of urgency,” the Wicklow TD said, adding that it is simply “not good enough”.
Whitmore plans to continue to drive forward her own Bill to provide greater powers to the body in the interim.
“People deserve action that matches the scale of the crisis, not promises that take years to materialise,” she said.
A spokesperson for Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon told The Journal that the year lead-in time for the reforms is needed so that the body can develop the necessary systems, processes and procedures to implement the new powers effectively.
“The Agri-Food Regulator was consulted in relation to the new powers and implementation.
“In the interim, the Regulator will continue to carry out its market analysis and reporting functions using publicly available information and data provided voluntarily by businesses,” the minister’s spokesperson said.
In September, it was reported that food prices had risen by 5% in the past year.
The Journal recently asked our readers how they are coping with rising food prices. In response, we heard from parents who are skipping meals so their children can eat, people who said they are “at breaking point”, and others who have had to borrow money from family members to keep food on the table.
