Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Dec 1995

Vol. 459 No. 8

Written Answers. - Newspaper Industry Study.

Mary O'Rourke

Ceist:

137 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the dates on which he sent letters to Independent Newspapers since the publication of the Competition Authority Report; the dates on which he received responses; if he will give details of the responses received from Independent Newspapers; and his current position on the proposed relaunch of the Sunday Press with the involvement of Independent Newspapers. [19102/95]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

My Department and/or I wrote to Independent Newspapers on six occasions since I received the interim report of a study on the Newspaper Industry by the Competition Authority.

Details are as follows: 13 April — letter to Independent Newspapers enclosing the summary conclusions and recommendations of the interim report; 27 April — letter to Independent Newspapers enclosing a copy of the interim report as published and inviting Independent Newspapers to meet me. I subsequently met Independent Newspapers on two occasions to discuss the Competition Authority report; 24 May 1995 — letter from Independent Newspapers; 15 June 1995 — letter to Independent Newspapers; 19 June 1995 — letter from Independent Newspapers; 4 August 1995 — response of Independent Newspapers to the interim report of a Study on the Newspaper Industry by the Competition Authority; 24 August 1995 — letter to Independent Newspapers as published in my Press Statement of 25 August 1995; 25 August 1995 — acknowledgement of letter of 24 August; 14 November 1995 — letter to Independent Newspapers; 21 November 1995 — letter from Independent Newspapers; 1 December 1995 — letter to Independent Newspapers; 8 December 1995 — letter from Independent Newspapers.

I am not at liberty to disclose publicly the details of the responses which I received from Independent Newspapers due to the confidentiality of the information contained in those letters. Suffice it to say that Independent Newspapers and their advisers hold a contrary view to mine in the matter.

My current position in regard to a proposed relaunch of theSunday Press with the involvement of Independent Newspapers is as I have stated on a number of occasions in the past and which I will repeat again on this occasion — that I will have to comply with competition law.