Vol. 411 No. 1
287 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Energy if he will make a statement concerning the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland's allegation that the ESB International is competing unfairly against the association's members.
The ESB have informed me that ESB International only compete for major prestige engineering and related consultancy contracts in Ireland many of which would otherwise go to foreign consulting engineers. The ESB fully recognise that it would be counter-productive to create new jobs through their subsidiaries at the expense of employment in the private sector in Ireland. The ESB see the limited activities of ESB International in Ireland as channelling more work in the direction of Irish sub-contractors who are given every opportunity to compete for such contracts.
The Competition Act, 1991, which has now come into effect, provides appropriate machinery for dealing with cases should the question of unfair competition arise.
The ESB International's policy of involvement in consultancy contracts in Ireland is being reviewed by me at present.
