Work on drafting the Competition and Consumer Protection Bill, which is included in the "A list" in the Government’s current Legislative Programme, is at an advanced stage and it is hoped to publish the Bill in March on foot of receipt of a stamped copy of the Bill from the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.
In addition to giving effect to the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Media Mergers, the Bill will, inter alia, merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority, update and reform competition law on foot of a review of the operation and implementation of the Competition Act 2002, and introduce enabling provisions to regulate for certain practices in the grocery goods sector.