Supermarkets must justify beef specifications that are being laid down for farmers, according to independent TD Denis Naughten.

Speaking on the matter, the Roscommon Galway TD said: “Supermarkets must be included in the beef roundtable proposed by Minister Michael Creed to ensure that all aspects of the beef supply chain are fully examined.”

Deputy Naughten said that Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed’s intervention, while welcome, “must go much further and include the supermarkets who need to provide a justification for the specifications that are being laid down by beef processors”.

He called for a beef roundtable to include supermarkets and representatives of Irish shoppers.

We need transparency on these specifications and the price margins operated right across the beef supply chain.

The independent TD reiterated his view that “the further the animal goes from the farm gate, the less information is made available on price”.

“That is why beef price transparency right across the supply chain must be the very first issue on the agenda of the emergency beef summit.”

Deputy Naughten also called for a Government commitment to “fast-tracking through the Dáil next month the new EU law which will ban 16 unfair trading practices covering agricultural and food products traded in the food supply chain”.