Vol. 526 No. 4
107 Mr. Perry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she will act on the recommendations of the competition and mergers review group report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26707/00]
I published the report of the competition and mergers review group on 4 May 2000. The report dealt with a wide range of competition and mergers issues, including enforcement of competition policy, administration of mergers law and the Restrictive (Practices) Groceries Order, 1987.
The report was considered by Government on 24 October 2000 and I announced that the existing law in relation to competition and mergers is to be replaced by new consolidated competition and mergers legislation. The new legislation will contain a number of significant reforms to competition and merger law including the law in relation to newspaper-media mergers, competition enforcement and the role of the Competition Authority. I also announced my decision to retain the groceries order which includes the ban on below cost selling.
