Thousands of farmers protested in Dublin today to highlight what the Irish Farmers’ Association claims is failed legislation which is allowing the powerful grocery multiple trade to “fleece farmers to bolster their profits”.
The protest began at Merrion Square shortly after 12pm and was followed by a march on the offices of Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton.
Up to 4,000 people were involved in the march which has caused widespread traffic disruptions in the Merrion Square and Dawson Street area.
Today's protest was a response to the raid on IFA head office by the Competition Authority a fortnight ago.
The raid, involving questioning of senior IFA officials and the seizure of files and computers from the organisation’s office, angered the IFA. The authority confirmed it was inquiring into alleged price-fixing of milk by farmers.
Today's protest followed a one-hour meeting between members of the IFA and Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney. Speaking after the meeting Mr Coveney said he as "surprised and shocked" at the Competition Authority's raid.
IFA president John Bryan accused the Competition Authority of criminalising farmers trying to defend their livelihoods and told protesters the authority was going after the wrong target.
“Any law that protects retailers and criminalises farmers is wrong. Our competition law is flawed and the law must be changed,” he said.
Mr Bryan said suppliers are forced to pay retailers “hello money” in order to get their product on the shelf and also had to foot the bill for unsustainable discounting and two-for-one offers.
He added: “They are getting away with robbery and the Competition Authority has done nothing to stop them.”
The Competition Authority said its search of the IFA offices on May 13th was part of an investigation into price-fixing in the liquid milk market, and follows disruption by groups of farmers at several shops.
The authority added: “The search undertaken by the authority at the premises of the IFA was carried out in a highly professional manner by experienced members of the authority’s investigative staff, including a detective sergeant who is on full-time secondment to the authority from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation.
A spokeswoman for Minister for Enterprise Richard Bruton said the minister will meet the IFA to discuss a report on a code of practice for the grocery sector but insisted that holding talks about the Competition Authority raid would be inappropriate.
Separately, Fianna Fáil spokesperson on agriculture Michael Moynihan called on the Government to introduce fair trade legislation which would put in place a mandatory code of practice governing the relationship between retailers and suppliers.
Additional reporting: PA