Vol. 491 No. 3
58 Mr. Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received the long awaited report on the newspaper industry; if not, when she expects to receive this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12061/98]
61 Ms Clune asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received the long awaited report on the newspaper industry; if not, when she expects to receive this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12062/98]
122 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received the long awaited report on the newspaper industry; if not, when she expects to receive this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12085/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 61 and 122 together.
I assume the Deputies are referring to the work of the Competition and Mergers Review Group which was established by my predecessor on 30 September 1996. I refer the Deputies to the replies I gave to Questions Nos. 18, 37, 43, 45 and 80 in this regard on 26 March 1998 on 18 February 1998, Questions Nos. 52, 59, 73, 84 and 114, and on 6 November 1997, Questions Nos. 15, 22, 52, 60 and 75.
The Competition and Mergers Review Group was established under the chairmanship of Mr. Michael Collins SC, by my predecessor with the following terms of reference.
To review and make recommendations on: the mergers legislation in the context of legislative consolidation; the effectiveness of competition legislation and associated regulations; cultural matters in the context of the Competition Act, 1991, and in particular, section 4 (2) of that Act, and appropriate structures for implementation of the above legislation. I informed the House on 6 November 1997 that I had asked the review group to advise me on how best to implement certain recommendations of the Commission on the Newspaper Industry in relation to the regulation of ownership, merger control and concentration of media ownership. The work of the review group is, I understand, complex and wideranging and is making steady progress. I am hopeful that it will report to me later this year.
