The Rural Independents Group of TDs has slammed the move by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to allow Oireachtas members more time to make a submission to the consultation process for the office of National Food Ombudsman.
The minister said earlier today that members of the Oireachtas would be able to make a submission up until June 11 if they had not already done so. The consultation had closed to submissions generally on May 26.
The minster particularly cited the Rural Independents, saying: “It is disappointing that members of the Oireachtas now commenting on the office are doing so despite not having made meaningful input.”
However, the Rural Independents are apparently unimpressed with the minster’s move, remarking this evening: “The unusual move by the minister to extend the consultation process reeked of political desperation and diversionary tactics.
“We have made our submission on what needs to be done to protect beef and suckler farmers to the only place that matters – Dáil Éireann,” said Rural Independents member Mattie McGrath.
This was in reference to a recently-tabled motion by the group in the Dáil calling for the establishment of a regulator for the beef sector, believing that an ombudsman would not have the necessary statutory powers to deal with issued in the sector. This motion was not passed.
“We therefore see no point in engaging in a consultation process for a food ombudsman that we have already clearly stated will not be able to provide the kind of specific sectoral focus that the beef sector needs,” McGrath added.
However, in a statement today, Minister McConalogue used both terms (ombudsman and regulator) to describe the position that would be set up under primary legislation.
“I am committed to delivering a National Food Ombudsman / regulator that will have real teeth and powers. The office was a key commitment in the Programme for Government,” the minister had said.
In response to this, McGrath claimed the minister was trying to “refashion his ombudsman’s office into becoming the kind of independent beef regulator that we have been calling for” and that the minister’s move was “about providing political cover to his backbenchers who know we need a regulator”.
The Rural Independents Group consists of: Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly); Michael Collins (Cork South-West); Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry); Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry); Mattie McGrath (Tipperary); and Richard O’Donoghue (Limerick county).