Two spokesmen for the Irish branch of discount supermarket chain Aldi refused to give figures regarding the company's profit margin.

Despite requests made by several public representatives at the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the spokesmen said the information was too commercially sensitive to reveal.

Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon asked whether Aldi Ireland's group buying director Niall O'Connor or managing director Donald Mackay could provide Ireland-only profit margins. Mr O'Connor said that information was commercially sensitive and competitors do not reveal their profits either. He added that profits are believed to be consistent with stores around the world.

Independent TD Luke Flanagan said they he would also like to hear how much profit Irish stores make.

“It’s regrettable that you don’t publish your profits. You’re very sensitive on a lot of issues. What sort of a margin are you making out of me and my family every time we use your shop?”

The committee was called to continue discussions on the relationship between supermarkets and primary and secondary food producers.

Mr O’Connor added that the company was extremely disappointed with their part in the horsemeat problem from earlier in the year.

“Aldi was extremely disappointed by recent events, relating to the mislabelling of content of a small number of beef products that clearly let our customers down,” he said.

“ It was totally unacceptable to us and we felt angry and let down by the suppliers in question.”

Independent TD Thomas Pringle asked about Aldi's relationship with trade unionism. Mr Mackay said the company does not discourage their employees from joining unions and that it is entirely their choice whether they wish to join a union.

The company also announced today that they are to create 300 jobs in Ireland over the next three years.

Twenty new stores are to be opened across the country, with 15 staff employed in each.