Vol. 316 No. 12
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will tabulate the list of mergers which (a) were notified and approved without reference to the examiner or (b) notified but no action taken either because they did not come within the scope of the Mergers, Take-overs and Monopolies (Control) Act, 1978, or for other reasons, for each of the past three years.
445.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if the report on mergers subject to section 8 of the Mergers, Take-overs and Monopolies (Control) Act, 1978, will be published in accordance with the provisions of section 16 of that Act.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Question Nos. 444 and 445 together.
In accordance with section 15 of the Mergers, Take-overs and Monopolies (Control) Act, 1978, I propose to lay before each House of the Oireachtas the annual report required and arrangements to that end are in hands.
As the Mergers, Take-overs and Monopolies (Control) Act, 1978, became law on 3 July 1978 the information requested by the Deputy is available only from that date. The information asked for (other than the names of the enterprises involved) will be contained in the annual report referred to.
However, for the information of the Deputy at this stage I can say that in the year to 2 July 1979 there were 30 notifications, in respect of 17 of which I indicated, without reference to the Examiner, that I did not propose to make an order under section 9 of the Act (which would prohibit the take-over or allow it on conditions). Twelve of the remainder did not come within the scope of the legislation. The one remaining case notified was allowed proceed after reference to the Examiner of Restrictive practices.
