Vol. 556 No. 3
95 Mr. Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she expects to bring proposals to Government arising from the recent Forfás report showing that Ireland is now the second most expensive place to live in the Eurozone; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20347/02]
The Forfás report, which identifies a number of factors that have contributed to a deterioration in the affordability of consumer goods and services relative to other Eurozone countries in recent years, has been fully considered by my Department. The factors identified relate to a wide range of policy areas and ministerial portfolios. The report has been in the public arena since its publication in June and its conclusions are available to influence the relevant policy areas.
Factors identified in my area of responsibility include the role of competition in ensuring that consumers get value for money and the need to critically examine regulation that constrains competition. I have taken the steps necessary to strengthen the powers of the Competition Authority to investigate price fixing and other anti-competitive practices and my priority is to ensure the removal of unwarranted restrictions on competition in all sectors of the economy. If competition is to be effective, consumers must be given a real choice and must be given sufficient information to enable them to exercise the choice in a rational way. I propose to strengthen existing rules governing the display of prices and to clarify the obligations of retailers and other traders in this regard.
