merrion street

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton today published the Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2014 and introduced it to the Oireachtas, after he secured Government agreement on the text of the legislation last week.

The legislation has three main components:

1. Merge the National Consumer Agency and Competition Authority and deliver improvements in competition law to create a watchdog with real teeth. This forms part of a broader reform agenda within the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation which will see the number of Agencies reduced by 41 over the coming months
2. Regulate certain practices in the grocery goods sector aimed at ensuring balance and fairness between the various players in the sector – suppliers, retailers and consumers
3. Update and modernise the law on media mergers to take account of international best practice and technological developments.

Publishing the legislation, Minister Bruton said:

This is a major piece of reforming legislation with three main objectives. Firstly, it will merge the Consumer and Competition Agencies to create a powerful watchdog with real teeth acting to protect and vindicate consumers. New criminal investigation functions are being added to the significant powers that already exist to combat serious white-collar crime and ultimately combat higher prices and protect consumers.

Secondly, we are introducing strong regulations and powerful new investigation and enforcement powers to ensure fairness between suppliers and retailers in the grocery goods sector.

Thirdly, diversity of content and diversity of ownership across the media remains an important part of a healthy democratic society. We are retaining the basic model of current laws, based on the principle of avoiding intervention by Government in media ownership except in specific circumstances following procedures determined by law.

The bill , explanatory memorandum and RIA can be found at: