asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce (a) the number of formal enquiries by the Fair Trade Commission to date, (b) the number of recommendations made to him, and (c) what action he took thereon.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fair Trade Commission Enquiries.
10.
Mr. Ryan
The Fair Trade Commission have held nine formal enquiries under the Restrictive Trade Practices Acts and have submitted recommendations to me in eight of those cases. The report of the other enquiry is in course of preparation. In six instances, action has been taken by way of Statutory Orders prohibiting specified restrictive practices in relation to the supply and distribution of the goods concerned. Five of these Orders were subsequently confirmed by Acts of the Oireachtas. In the case of the sixth, the necessary confirming Bill was recently introduced in Dáil Éireann. It was decided in one instance not to make an Order. The report of one enquiry is at present under examination, and my decision on the action which would be appropriate thereon will shortly be made known.