Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 12 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 1

Written Answers. - Competition Authority.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

49 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she expects that the Competition Authority will have a full complement of staff and be able to investigate complaints of breaches of the competition laws; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21641/00]

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

57 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps being taken to address the serious problems being faced by the Competition Authority due to staff shortages; the number of staff vacancies in the authority; if she will sanction the recruitment of further staff and a review of remuneration levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21564/00]

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

61 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she expects the review of the future resource requirements of the Competition Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21650/00]

Michael Creed

Ceist:

62 Mr. Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current situation regarding resources, including personnel, for the Competition Authority to enable it to carry out its duties effectively. [21548/00]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 57, 61 and 62 together.

The current authorised staffing level of the Competition Authority is 29, comprising chair and four members, including the director of competition enforcement, assistant principal – sec retary to the authority, two HEOs, two EOs, seven COs, seven economists and five legal advisers. This includes two senior legal advisers and three senior economists which were sanctioned for the authority this year.

There are currently vacancies for five economists, three legal advisers and three administrative staff in the authority. Interviews for the recruitment of the vacant positions of economist and legal advisor have now been held and these posts will be filled shortly. The three administrative staff will be filled in the normal way by transfer within the Department.

The vacancies have placed constraints on the authority's capacity to undertake its work. However, I am confident this will now change as the newly recruited staff take up their positions.

To ensure that the situation regarding staffing is tackled comprehensively, my Department, together with the authority, is currently involved with outside consultants in a study of the authority's operations with a view to having its future resource requirements assessed. All staffing issues are being dealt with in the study and it is intended to address any recommendations when the final report is to hand.

I am fully committed to ensuring that the authority is adequately resourced to discharge its important statutory functions.