Vol. 521 No. 1
37 Mr. Bell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress she has made in her consideration of the report of the Competition and Mergers Review Group of its examination of the report of the commission on the newspaper Industry; the plans if any she has to implement the recommendations for changes in regard to media control; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16497/00]
I published the report of the Competition and Mergers Review Group on 4 May 2000. The group, which was chaired by Mr. Michael Collins, SC, made some 40 recommendations on a variety of aspects of competition and mergers legislation, the enforcement of competition law and the administration of mergers law.
Two of the 40 recommendations relate to newspapers and media and arise from the recommendations of the Commission on the Newspaper Industry which reported in June 1996. The review group has recommended legislative changes so as to require the Minister, when considering a merger in the media sector, to consider certain criteria identified by the Commission on the Newspaper Industry.
The other recommendation relates to the issue of the acquisition of undertakings by means other than the acquisition of shares. The Competition and Mergers Review Group has recommended that the "control test" in the EU merger regulation be incorporated into Irish merger law.
The report is a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the operation and application of all aspects of competition and mergers legislation. It has taken more than three years to compile and I do not propose to react in any detail until I have had the opportunity to fully and carefully consider all the recommendations contained in it and their implications for competition law and policy in the State.
