In July 2011 the Government approved the draft heads of the Consumer and Competition Bill giving, inter alia, effect to the recommendations of the Advisory Group in full with two amendments:
one sees the change in relevant Minister for such public interest considerations from the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to the Minster for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and
the other relates to designating the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee as a notifiable body when the Minister is considering proposed media mergers from the public interest aspect.
The recommendations of the Advisory Group are aimed at strengthening the public interest test in respect of media mergers.
While the Advisory Group on Media Mergers reported to the then Minister in 2008, no final decision was reached as to where responsibility for the public interest should lie until this Government approved draft Heads of the Bill in July 2011. This draft is currently with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting.
Priority has had to be given in the implementation of our legislative programme to other areas of competition law, particularly the need to meet EU/IMF commitments that have been incorporated in the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011.
I see no benefit in progressing a stand-alone piece of legislation, to be followed in due course by a more comprehensive package of reforms. The consolidation of the various element of consumer and competition law into a single Act is entirely in keeping with the principles of better regulation and with the trend within Government to consolidate and simplify legislation for ease of reference for all users.