Stronger data powers for agri-food watchdog
New regulations will give the State’s agri-food watchdog extra powers to compel large businesses to provide it with information in cases where they have not provided it voluntarily.
An Rialálaí Agraibhia, set up in December 2023 under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023, is charged with enforcing legislation on unfair trading practices (UTPs) and carrying out price and market analysis of the agri-food supply chain.
Under regulations signed by Martin Heydon (Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine), the watchdog will be able to compel firms to provide data on prices and markets.
Small businesses excluded
The regulations, which will come into effect on 31 December 2026, will exclude small businesses – enterprises that employ fewer than 50 people and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed €10 million.
The delayed start date is to give the regulator time to set up the relevant new processes and systems.
“I am conscious that smaller enterprises can be disproportionately impacted by regulatory or administrative burdens,” Minister Heydon stated, adding that he was satisfied that the exemption would not have a significant effect on the quality and robustness of the regulator’s analysis.
In addition, the regulations provide that the regulator may not compel data for an individual product from any business more than once in a 12-month period.