The establishment of the Agri-Food Regulator (An Rialálaí Agraibhia) remains a “priority” for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Minister Charlie McConalogue said in the Dáil last week (October 26) that he expects the office of the regulator “will be operational before the end of the year”.
There is still considerable work to be done, as the minister said the secondary legislation for the establishment of the office is still being drafted.
Minister McConalogue also said work is being undertaken regarding the “necessary logistics” for the regulator’s accommodation, human resources (HR), information and communications technology (ICT), and finance needs.
The role of the regulator will be to promote fairness and transparency in the agricultural and food supply chain.
It is anticipated that the board of the new Agri-Food Regulator will meet at least six times during the year to oversee the running of the state body.
“Recruitment of additional staff is also underway. All of these are necessary steps so that the office of the regulator can be effective from its first day of establishment,” the minister said.
Responding to a question in the Dáil from Sinn Féin TD, Claire Kerrane regarding an update on the Agri-Food Regulator, Minister McConalogue said the “establishment of An Rialálaí Agraibhia is a priority for my department”.
Agri-Food Regulator
In October, Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan said during a joint committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine debate that it is “an absolute disgrace” the office has not been established yet.
Referring to the appointment of Niamh Lenehan as CEO-designate for An Rialálaí Agraibhia, Cullinan said “it is absolutely astounding that this lady has been in office for a number of months now but that her office is still not functioning”.
IFA policy executive, Niamh Brennan said: “We were acutely trying to get measures on below-cost selling put into the legislation on the food regulator and to make it part of the regulator’s remit. Unfortunately, it did not make it into the legislation.
“We have had a very positive engagement with Niamh Lenehan in which we informed her about the sector.
“It is critical that retailers engage through the horticulture industry forum and with Ms. Lenehan to see what that would look like and how it could safeguard pricing in the future,” Brennan added.
According to the Public Appointments Service, the new chairperson will be paid €8,978, while the remuneration for ordinary board members stands at €5,985.
Appointments to the board will be for an initial period of four years, with an option to extend this for a second term of up to five years.