The commission has been in correspondence with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture in relation to ABP’s takeover of half of Slaney Foods . However, with the upcoming general election, there are concerns as to whether the takeover will be overlooked by the relevant authorities.
“[The joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture] said it cannot make a comment until the takeover goes ahead,” Carlow-Kilkenny Senator Pat O’Neill said last week. “I am concerned about the timing of the takeover. If it takes place within the next couple of weeks, during a general election, no Oireachtas committee will be able to deal with it. The current Minister for Agriculture will be operating in an acting capacity. The takeover may, therefore, proceed without due scrutiny.”
With 280,000 people employed in the beef and sheep sectors, there is a concern that the merger would have an impact on competition. This is alongside the price differential between Ireland and the UK, as well as the country of origin labelling issue.
Notice of the merger has yet to be lodged with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). The EU Commission itself may investigate the takeover or refer the matter back to the Irish authorities depending on the circumstances of the situation. As part of this process, the investigation of the proposed takeover will involve either a one- or two-stage investigation by the relevant authorities.
At the end of the process, the authorities may:
Unconditionally clear the merger.Approve the merger subject to remedies, or Prohibit the merger if no adequate remedies to identified competition concerns have been proposed by the merging parties.If the merger is notified to the EU Commission, details will be published on the commission’s website, allowing any interested parties to contact the commission and to submit comments.
Coveney says he has no role to play
Answering Pat O’Neill in the Seanad on behalf of Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney, Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Joe McHugh said: “As the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has stated, neither he nor any other minister has any function in the process of assessing company mergers in Ireland.”
IFA national livestock committee chair Henry Burns said it is incredible that the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney believes he has no role to play and ‘cannot get involved in’ the proposed investment by ABP in Slaney Meats. The CCPC has told the IFA that there is nothing stopping Minister Coveney from having a view on the proposed merger and making a submission to the authority on the matter.
“The IFA has called on Minister Coveney and the Government to make a submission to the CCPC on the investment and particularly on the importance of protecting and guaranteeing competition in the processing and rendering sectors,” said Burns. “Cattle farmers cannot understand why the Minister is adopting such a detached policy on this critically important matter on competition.”
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ABP to grow its empire with Slaney deal
The commission has been in correspondence with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture in relation to ABP’s takeover of half of Slaney Foods . However, with the upcoming general election, there are concerns as to whether the takeover will be overlooked by the relevant authorities.
“[The joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture] said it cannot make a comment until the takeover goes ahead,” Carlow-Kilkenny Senator Pat O’Neill said last week. “I am concerned about the timing of the takeover. If it takes place within the next couple of weeks, during a general election, no Oireachtas committee will be able to deal with it. The current Minister for Agriculture will be operating in an acting capacity. The takeover may, therefore, proceed without due scrutiny.”
With 280,000 people employed in the beef and sheep sectors, there is a concern that the merger would have an impact on competition. This is alongside the price differential between Ireland and the UK, as well as the country of origin labelling issue.
Notice of the merger has yet to be lodged with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). The EU Commission itself may investigate the takeover or refer the matter back to the Irish authorities depending on the circumstances of the situation. As part of this process, the investigation of the proposed takeover will involve either a one- or two-stage investigation by the relevant authorities.
At the end of the process, the authorities may:
Unconditionally clear the merger.Approve the merger subject to remedies, or Prohibit the merger if no adequate remedies to identified competition concerns have been proposed by the merging parties.If the merger is notified to the EU Commission, details will be published on the commission’s website, allowing any interested parties to contact the commission and to submit comments.
Coveney says he has no role to play
Answering Pat O’Neill in the Seanad on behalf of Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney, Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Joe McHugh said: “As the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has stated, neither he nor any other minister has any function in the process of assessing company mergers in Ireland.”
IFA national livestock committee chair Henry Burns said it is incredible that the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney believes he has no role to play and ‘cannot get involved in’ the proposed investment by ABP in Slaney Meats. The CCPC has told the IFA that there is nothing stopping Minister Coveney from having a view on the proposed merger and making a submission to the authority on the matter.
“The IFA has called on Minister Coveney and the Government to make a submission to the CCPC on the investment and particularly on the importance of protecting and guaranteeing competition in the processing and rendering sectors,” said Burns. “Cattle farmers cannot understand why the Minister is adopting such a detached policy on this critically important matter on competition.”
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ABP to grow its empire with Slaney deal
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