Latest news with #Drennan
Agriland
6 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
‘Farmers are going to suffer losses' under proposed CAP changes
Farmers are 'going to suffer losses' under the European Commission's plans for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the next long term EU budget, according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA). The commission unveiled its plans for CAP as its proposals for the next Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028 to 2034 were detailed to the European Parliament's budget committee today (Wednesday, July 16). According to Denis Drennan, president of the ICMSA, the Commission's CAP plans represent a speeded-up timetable for the EU's withdrawal of direct supports to farming and primary food production. Drennan also believes that the European Commission's CAP plans have the potential to drive food prices up across the EU and drive down the 'high standard and sustainable food production within the EU. 'It's not even difficult to predict the disaster that will follow this announcement, it's just simple logic. 'As the direct supports for farmers fall, they will have to raise prices as they sell along the chain with a resulting impact at the point of sale to the consumer,' he added. CAP The president of the ICMSA also believes that questions have to be asked about the EU's ability 'to feed itself' if its CAP plans go ahead. 'Some people might think this is alarmist, but those very same people should take a close look at developments in EU agriculture, their view will certainly change when they do so,' Drennan added. He said although CAP had failed to pace with inflation, the impact of potential reductions to individual payments as a result of the commission's proposals would mean 'cuts will be piled on cuts'. 'We've had many promises from the Commission on CAP on support and simplification. 'None have been kept. Today's announcement simply underlines the slide into irrelevance. The EU can no longer even pretend to be an asset to farmers, it's an obstacle, a negative, that causes more problems than it provides solutions,' Drennan said. He is now calling on the Taoiseach to 'immediately signal Ireland's rejection' of the Commission's proposals and has urged Irish MEPS to do the same.
Irish Independent
05-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Denis O'Brien launches blistering attack on Corporate Enforcement Authority chief over INM probe
The high-profile businessman said the country's top corporate watchdog's position should be 'called into question'. Mr O'Brien issued a statement after the CEA said in its annual report that the final costs associated with the INM investigation stood at €5.82m. Reacting yesterday, Mr O'Brien said the true financial cost is closer to €40m. He claimed the costly High Court process could have been avoided if the CEA, under Ian Drennan's leadership, had conducted the investigation itself. Mr O'Brien said Mr Drennan had failed to interview him and others before escalating an initial investigation of complaints about governance at INM – at a time when Mr O'Brien was the biggest shareholder – into a High Court inspection. That more formal process saw barrister Sean Gillane SC and UK solicitor Robert Fleck appointed by the High Court in 2018 at the request of the CEA as inspectors to investigate a number of claims including that Leslie Buckley, as INM's then chairman, acted improperly in ways to benefit Mr O'Brien. Mr Drennan took a deliberate decision not to engage with or interview several parties The High Court-appointed inspectors' report took six years, in part because of Covid, and was published in July last year. It made a number of criticisms but the 868-page report concluded no corporate laws had been breached at INM. The CEA then opted to take no further action. 'It is now time for the role and conduct of the director, Mr Ian Drennan, to be called into question,' Mr O'Brien said. 'Mr Drennan took a deliberate decision not to engage with or interview several parties, including myself, who could have provided him with answers to his questions and saved the State and other parties in excess of €40m.' The publication of the report from the CEA was 'most noteworthy for its failure to make any reference to its own conduct in matters relating to Independent News & Media, [INM]', Mr O'Brien said. In the foreword to the annual report, Mr Drennan confirmed the CEA had taken the decision not to bring any enforcement action against any of the people whose actions at the then stock market-listed INM had been subject to the inspection. However, in his report, Mr Drennan said that would not mean his agency is less likely to seek a similar process in future in relation to another company if he believed CEA powers of inquiry fell short of what was required to investigate potential corporate wrongdoing. The inspectors ultimately found former INM chairman Mr Buckley did pass confidential information to Mr O'Brien in a way that was not compliant with the company's policies and the terms of a memorandum he signed in 2016 but that he did not break company law.
Extra.ie
26-06-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
Furious farmers back EU-wide ban on plant-based products 'hijacking' meat terminology
Furious farmers have shared their support for an EU-wide ban on vegetarian and vegan food producers using meat-related words to sell their products New rules are currently under draft by the European Commission which would result in the food producers being banned from using words such as sausage and burger to 'camouflage' their products. The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), who represent farmers locally and internationally, have said they welcome the new restrictions under review. Furious farmers have shared their support for an EU-wide ban which on vegetarian and vegan food producers using meat-related words to sell their products. Pic: Getty Images President Denis Drennan said the use of meat terminology to market veggie foods was 'deliberate and cynical and must constitute a breach of any trade descriptions act as commonly understood.' Mr Drennan said the terms were being 'hijacked' in an attempt to 'camouflage' non-meat products. He said while 'people are free to eat whatever they want,' farmers are 'irritated' by the fact that those trying to 'replace naturally produced meat and dairy' are using words 'generally understood to refer to' those products. He said while 'people are free to eat whatever they want,' farmers are 'irritated' of the fact that those trying to 'replace naturally produced meat and dairy' are using words 'generally understood to refer to' those products. Pic: Getty Images 'Rather than come up with their own terms and descriptions, they simply appropriate the names of the very good they're trying to replace and supplant,' Mr Drennan said, 'It's unbelievably cynical.' Mr Drennan added that it was confirmation from corporations that 'they know they're unable to convince consumers by their own efforts or merits.' The ICMSA President added: 'The fact that they're being allowed to 'camouflage' and take advantage of people's understanding is wrong and will have to be addressed.' It comes as French MEP Céline Imart proposed an amendment which banned plant-based products from being labelled with a long list of terms typically linked to animal products. The European Court of Justice has already ruled that non-dairy products cannot be described as milk and cheese.
The Journal
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Farmers back EU Commission proposal that would ban vegetarian products using terms like ‘burger'
IRISH FARMERS ARE backing an EU Commission proposal that would ban plant-based products from using terms such as 'burger' and 'sausage'. Last year, the EU Court of Justice ruled that plant-based foods can continue to be sold and promoted using terms traditionally associated with meat, as long as it does not mislead consumers. A 2021 French law had banned the use of meat-related terms such as 'veggie burgers' or 'vegan sausages' from being used to market foods made from plant-based proteins. But advocacy groups, including the European Vegetarian Union, challenged this and the EU Court of Justice ruled that member states cannot prevent manufacturers of plant-based protein foods from using common descriptive names to label products. However, a French MEP has rekindled the argument. The EU Commission is currently drafting proposals for the reform of the common market organisation regulation, which allows for changes to rules governing agricultural products. French MEP Céline Imart last month added in an amendment to the Commission proposals that would mean only meat products could use terms like 'steak', 'burger', and 'sausage'. Her amendment would also ban 'cell-cultured products' from using these terms. Advertisement President of Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA), Denis Drennan, has said that the use of terms like 'sausage' and 'burger' for vegetarian or vegan foods is 'deliberate and cynical'. 'It must constitute a breach of any trade descriptions act as commonly understood,' he added. Drennan also described the use of such terms for plant-based food as the 'hijacking of traditional meat terms'. He added that is 'constitutes an admission by the corporations involved that they were unable to convince consumers other than by such 'camouflage''. He said farmers are 'irritated' to see non-meat products 'want to replace our naturally produced meat' using terms that 'they know are generally understood to refer to traditional dairy and products'. 'They want to use our terminology and the acceptance borne of centuries that those terms have amongst the general public to effectively 'smuggle' their own products past a sceptical public,' he added. He also claimed that such terms 'have a degree of acceptance and understanding that was hard earned by farmers'. 'Rather than come up with their own terms and descriptions, they simply appropriate the names of the very foods they're trying to replace and supplant,' said Drennan. 'The fact that they're being allowed to 'camouflage' and take advantage of people's understanding is wrong and will have to be addressed.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Agriland
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Agriland
12 EU member states want animal-sourced food names protected
12 EU member states have supported a call for the European Commission to introduce protections on traditional animal-sourced food names so they cannot be used on plant-based food labels. The delegation from the Czech Republic presented a paper on the issue at a meeting of agriculture ministers in the Council of the EU this week. The Czech paper was supported by 11 other member states, including Ireland. The document said that the food market in the EU is increasingly composed of products that consist only of plant-based ingredients and are similar in appearance, taste and consistency to products of animal origin. These plant-based foods are very often labelled with the names belonging to meat, eggs, honey, fish, and products made from them. However, the paper said that plant-based products differ substantially from food products of animal origin, particularly in terms of composition and nutritional value. The Czech submission said that it is 'essential' that foods which imitate, mimic or substitute foods of animal origin do not mislead the consumer by their labelling as to their true nature. Protection of names is already in place for products for the dairy sector. However, no other protection of food names is in place at EU level for other animal-sourced products, and some member states are considering the introduction of reserved names for other food of animal origin at national level. The member states involved in the paper are calling for 'harmonisation of legal protection' to be provided on food names. They are seeking a legislative proposal from the commission to protect the names of animal origin, providing them with similar protection that already exists for milk and dairy products. The pressure on the commission to protect names of animal-sourced food has been welcomed by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA). ICMSA president Denis Drennan claimed that the inclusion of terms such a 'sausage' or 'burger' in vegetarian or vegan foods 'was deliberate and cynical'. He said that the 'hijakcing' of traditional meat and dairy terms 'actually constitutes an admissions by the corporations involved that they were unable to convince consumers other than by such camouflage'. 'Obviously, people are free to eat whatever they want but it is a matter of considerable irritation to farmers to see the very people and corporations who want to replace our naturally produced meat and dairy with their own non-meat and non-dairy products very deliberately using the terms that they know are generally understood to refer to traditional dairy and meat products,' Drennan said. 'They want to use our terminology and the acceptance borne of centuries that those terms have amongst the general public to effectively smuggle their own products past a sceptical public.' The ICMSA president said it is 'no longer tenable to allow non-dairy and non-meat products to advertise and promote themselves using terms and language associated with the traditional foods these vegetarian and vegan products are attempting to supplant'. 'It's self-evidently wrong that products that contain not a trace of meat are being sold as 'sausage' or 'burger' and being marketed in this disingenuous way. These corporations…are quite deliberately playing on people's desire for healthy, traditional, meat-based foodstuffs while actually substituting real meal ingredients with cheaper and more processed vegetable and plant-derived elements,' Drennan said.
