Minister O’Brien welcomes progress of establishment of a National Food Ombudsman

Local Minister Darragh O’Brien TD has welcomed the opening of public consultation on the primary legislation needed to establish a new Office of a National Food Ombudsman or Regulator.
 
Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “Government have given a clear commitment to establish a National Food Ombudsman as a matter of priority. I know this will be of major benefit to many of our food producers here in North County Dublin.
 
“As a Senator I submitted amendments to the 2014 Competition and Consumer Protection Bill seeking the establishment of an Ombudsman to oversee fairness and transparency in the agri-food industry.
 
“A fair return for primary producers is pivotal to the long-term survival of the industry. I want food producers here in Dublin Fingal to be protected. We do need to ensure fairness, equity and transparency in the agricultural and food supply chain and the establishment of the new Ombudsman or Regulator is an important step towards achieving that.
 
“The outcome of this public consultation will help to determine the principles and policies to be included in the new legislation and the powers to be assigned to the new Office. I encourage all stakeholders to participate in the consultation,” he concluded.
 
ENDS
 
Notes to Editor: The consultation can be found at gov.ie - Public Consultation by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine on the functions to be assigned to a new Office (National Food Ombudsman/Regulator)/Equivalent (www.gov.ie) and at ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/NationalFoodOmbudsmanorRegulatorConsultation2021  and will be open until Wednesday 26 May 2021.