Batt O'Keeffe
Question:53 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the concerns, if any, he has regarding suspected price fixing by concrete suppliers. [2726/97]
Written Answers. - Alleged Price Fixing.
From time to time I receive representations concerning alleged price fixing and other anti-competitive practices.
I would have grave concerns if any of these allegations are well founded. It is to deal with such allegations and any other allegations concerning anti-competitive practices that the Competition Acts are on the statute books and the independent Competition Authority was established. The authority has recently been given additional powers.
With the enactment of the Competition (Amendment) Act, 1996, in July last year a system of public enforcement of our competition laws is now in place. I have appointed a Director of Competition Enforcement in order to give effect to the public enforcement provisions of this Act. The powers of the director of competition enforcement are as follows: (a) to carry out an investigation, whether on his own initiative or as a result of a complaint to him from any person, into any contravention of the Competition (Amendment) Act, 1996, that he suspects has occurred or may occur and (b) to make recommendations and give advice to the Competition Authority as respects the institution by the authority of legal proceedings for the enforcement of the Act.
Accordingly, any individual or company who feels aggrieved concerning alleged anti-competitive activities such as price fixing now has the option of pursuing their allegations either by: (i) taking a civil action themselves under section 6 of the Competition Act, 1991, or (ii) making a complaint directly to the Director of Competition Enforcement requesting him to investigate the allegations.