Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
178. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the work that the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council is undertaking to interrogate the ongoing excessive rises in household and commercial energy prices; and the areas in which there may be legislative constraints on the Council in undertaking the aforementioned work. [15636/22]
View answerThe National Competitiveness and Productivity Council provides advice to the Taoiseach and the Government, through the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on key competitiveness issues facing the Irish economy and offers recommendations on the policy actions required to enhance Ireland’s competitive position. The NCPC’s main functions are: to diagnose and analyse competitiveness and productivity developments; to influence policymakers to take actions to improve the environment in which businesses operate; to publish work to generate and inform the debate on competitiveness and productivity issues; and, to function as Ireland’s National Productivity Board (NPB). The NCPC does not have a role in investigating the pricing behaviour of commercial enterprises.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the statutory body responsible for promoting compliance with, and enforcing, competition and consumer protection law in Ireland. The impact on fuel prices has caused much concern and distress for consumers. To date, the CCPC has received nearly 200 complaints in relation to retail fuel prices, which they are currently reviewing.
The CCPC continues to assess the complaints it has received in relation to fuel prices at the pump. As part of this process, it is engaging with complainants and the industry, and will assess any evidence that might indicate the possibility of breaches of the law.
There are a number of other actions the CCPC has taken in relation to fuel pricing:
- It has written to one trade association and two fuel companies about the competition law risks of making public statements about future increases in fuel prices, and they are continuing to monitor public statements;
- It has updated its website to provide consumers with relevant information on price increases and their role;
- It has written to fuel retailers’ representatives to remind them of their members’ obligations under consumer protection law and will be continuing compliance checks in relation to pricing displays.
The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council has recently published a Bulletin on Energy Security which highlighted the urgency of diversifying Ireland’s sources of energy supply to ensure energy security and competitiveness of enterprises operating in Ireland, which is heavily reliant on imported energy (oil, gas, coal, and peat). In particular, the dominance of gas is a risk to both the physical security of supply and in terms of exposure to price variation. The NCPC also emphasised that policies to enhance energy security should align with the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021 to facilitate Ireland’s transition to a low carbon economy.
