Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004
206 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason the Government has failed to force a newspaper (details supplied) to divest itself of its 24.9% shareholding in the Irish Press as requested by the Competition Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9641/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn March 1995, the then Minister for Enterprise and Employment received the interim report of the Competition Authority which recommended inter alia that the shareholding in Irish Press held by Independent Newspapers represented an abuse of a dominant position under section 5 and an anti-competitive agreement under section 4 of the Competition Act 1991. During 1995, the Irish Press titles ceased publication and certain companies of the Irish Press Group went into liquidation followed by an examinership. In October 1996, Irish Press Publications Limited announced it had convened an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to seek authorisation to sell the Irish Press titles. The events surrounding the above matters are the subject of legal proceedings and I do not propose to comment on them prior to the conclusion of these proceedings.
