Martin Heydon

An Rialálaí Agraibhia has a statutory mandate to carry out price and market analysis to improve transparency and equity throughout the agri-food supply chain.

Powers to compel the provision of price and market information from businesses, in circumstances where voluntary requests for such information have not been complied with, will be introduced from 31 December 2026.

Agriculture, food and the marine minister Martin Heydon said: “I am now introducing regulations which will confer additional powers on the regulator.

“Under these regulations, the regulator will have the capacity to compel price and market information from operators in cases where businesses have not complied with requests for information voluntarily.

“I am satisfied that these regulations are proportionate and will allow the regulator to provide insightful analysis into the agri-food sector, while having regard to any potential impact on competitiveness or the distortion of competition.”

However, businesses which employ fewer than 50 people or whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed €10 million will be excluded from the new regulations.

“I am conscious that smaller enterprises can be disproportionately impacted by regulatory or administrative burdens,” the minister said.

“Having discussed this with relevant parties, I am satisfied that the quality and robustness of the regulator’s analysis will not be significantly impacted by the exclusion of small businesses.”

An Rialálaí Agraibhia was established in December 2023 under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023.

In addition to its price and market analysis function, the regulator is responsible for enforcing legislation on unfair trading practices (UTPs) across the agri-food supply chain.