Misplaced Pages

Competition Authority (Ireland): Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 14:58, 17 July 2016 edit113.203.176.184 (talk)No edit summary← Previous edit Latest revision as of 18:31, 22 September 2024 edit undoRfl0216 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users179,089 editsNo edit summary 
(17 intermediate revisions by 14 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{unreferenced|date=June 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{refimprove|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox Government agency {{Infobox government agency
|agency_name = Competition Authority of Ireland |agency_name = Competition Authority of Ireland
|type = ] of the ] |type = Former ] of the ]
|logo = ] |logo = ]
|logo_width = |logo_width =
Line 25: Line 26:
|parent_department = |parent_department =
|keydocument1 = Competition Act, 2002 |keydocument1 = Competition Act, 2002
|website = |website =
|footnotes = |footnotes =
}} }}


The '''Competition Authority''' ('''TCA''') was responsible for enforcing Irish and European ] in the ] and promoting competition in the economy. In 2014 it amalgamated with the ] to form the ]. The '''Competition Authority''' ('''TCA''') was responsible for enforcing Irish and European ] in the ] and promoting competition in the economy. In 2014 it was amalgamated with the ] to form the ].


==Purpose and powers== ==Purpose and powers==
Consumers are at the core of the Competition Authority's work. Its aim is to make sure that competition works for the benefit of all consumers who buy products and services in Ireland. This includes businesses, the State and its agents, as well as individuals. Consumers were at the core of the Competition Authority's work. Its aim was to make sure that competition worked for the benefit of all consumers who bought products and services in Ireland. This included businesses, the State and its agents, as well as individuals.


It had the power to investigate if there is evidence that businesses are involved in anti-competitive practices, such as ], or that businesses are abusing a dominant position. It can also block mergers between businesses that would substantially reduce competition and harm consumers. It had the power to investigate if there was evidence that businesses were involved in anti-competitive practices, such as ], or that businesses were abusing a dominant position. It could also block mergers between businesses that would substantially reduce competition and harm consumers.


The Authority also had a very broad role to promote competition in the economy. They did this by calling for reform when Irish laws, regulations or actions by State bodies restrict competition. They advise Government and its agents on how proposed legislation or regulations could affect competition. This prevents future problems for consumers. This helps to give a voice to consumers when it comes to public policy-making. They also promote competition by telling public authorities and the public about the benefits of competition. The Authority also had a very broad role to promote competition in the economy. They did this by calling for reform when Irish laws, regulations or actions by State bodies restrict competition. They advised Government and its agents on how proposed legislation or regulations could affect competition. This prevented future problems for consumers. This helped to give a voice to consumers when it came to public policy-making. They also promoted competition by telling public authorities and the public about the benefits of competition.


==Operations== ==Operations==
The Authority operated under the and was funded via a grant from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Authority operated under the Competition Act 2002<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060501040055/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2002_14.html|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2002_14.html|title=COMPETITION ACT, 2002|archive-date=2006-05-01}}</ref> and was funded via a grant from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.


The authority was divided into six divisions: ], ], Advocacy, Mergers, Strategy and Corporate Services. The Authority is a collegiate body, consisting of four full-time members, who each head one or more divisions, appointed following an open competition by the Public Appointments Service. The authority was divided into six divisions: ], ], Advocacy, Mergers, Strategy and Corporate Services. The Authority was a collegiate body, consisting of four full-time members, who each headed one or more divisions, appointed following an open competition by the Public Appointments Service.


The former Members of the Authority were Chairperson Isolde Goggin and Members Stephen Calkins, Gerald FitzGerald and Patrick Kenny. The former Members of the Authority were Chairperson Isolde Goggin and Members Stephen Calkins, Gerald FitzGerald and Patrick Kenny.


==Amalgamation== ==Amalgamation==
In November 2008 the Government announced the amalgamation of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency as part of a rationalisation of State agencies. On 31 March 2014 the Competition and Consumer Protection Bill was published. On 31 July Richard Bruton, TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation announced that the legislation would commence and the new Competition and Consumer Protection Commission would be established on 31 October 2014. In November 2008, the Government announced the amalgamation of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency as part of a rationalisation of State agencies. On 31 March 2014 the Competition and Consumer Protection Bill was published. On 31 July Richard Bruton, TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation announced that the legislation would commence and the new Competition and Consumer Protection Commission would be established on 31 October 2014.


The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission will have a dual mandate to enforce competition and consumer law. Both organisations continued to perform their statutory functions until the merger was given effect on 31 October 2014. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has a dual mandate to enforce competition and consumer law. Both organisations continued to perform their statutory functions until the merger was given effect on 31 October 2014.


The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is now be governed by an executive Chair and Membership structure. The Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 allows for a Chair and between two and six Members. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is currently governed by an executive Chair and Membership structure. The Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2014 allows for a Chair and between two and six Members.


The current Chair of the Competition Authority, Isolde Goggin, was appointed designate Chair of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on taking up her current role in 2011. Ms Goggin will be supported in her role by the Members of the new Commission which include the three current Members of the Competition Authority, Stephen Calkins, Gerald FitzGerald and Patrick Kenny, and the current Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency, Karen O'Leary, all of whom were appointed Members-designate of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation upon taking up their current positions. The former Chair of the Competition Authority, Isolde Goggin, was appointed Chairperson of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on taking up her former role in 2011. Ms Goggin is supported in her role by the Members of the new Commission which include the two former Members of the Competition Authority, Fergal O'Leary and Patrick Kenny, and the former Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency, Karen O'Leary, all of whom were appointed Members-designate of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation upon taking up their current positions.


==External links== ==References==
{{reflist}}
*

{{authority control}}


]
⚫ ]
⚫ ]
] ]
] ]
⚫ ]
⚫ ]

Latest revision as of 18:31, 22 September 2024

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Competition Authority" Ireland – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Competition Authority of Ireland
Former State Agency of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment overview
Formed2002
Dissolved31 October 2014
Superseding Former State Agency of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
JurisdictionIreland
Headquarters14 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Former State Agency of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment executive
  • Isolde Goggin, Chairman
Key document
  • Competition Act, 2002
WebsiteCompetition Authority website

The Competition Authority (TCA) was responsible for enforcing Irish and European competition law in the Republic of Ireland and promoting competition in the economy. In 2014 it was amalgamated with the National Consumer Agency to form the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Purpose and powers

Consumers were at the core of the Competition Authority's work. Its aim was to make sure that competition worked for the benefit of all consumers who bought products and services in Ireland. This included businesses, the State and its agents, as well as individuals.

It had the power to investigate if there was evidence that businesses were involved in anti-competitive practices, such as price-fixing, or that businesses were abusing a dominant position. It could also block mergers between businesses that would substantially reduce competition and harm consumers.

The Authority also had a very broad role to promote competition in the economy. They did this by calling for reform when Irish laws, regulations or actions by State bodies restrict competition. They advised Government and its agents on how proposed legislation or regulations could affect competition. This prevented future problems for consumers. This helped to give a voice to consumers when it came to public policy-making. They also promoted competition by telling public authorities and the public about the benefits of competition.

Operations

The Authority operated under the Competition Act 2002 and was funded via a grant from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

The authority was divided into six divisions: Cartels, Monopolies, Advocacy, Mergers, Strategy and Corporate Services. The Authority was a collegiate body, consisting of four full-time members, who each headed one or more divisions, appointed following an open competition by the Public Appointments Service.

The former Members of the Authority were Chairperson Isolde Goggin and Members Stephen Calkins, Gerald FitzGerald and Patrick Kenny.

Amalgamation

In November 2008, the Government announced the amalgamation of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency as part of a rationalisation of State agencies. On 31 March 2014 the Competition and Consumer Protection Bill was published. On 31 July Richard Bruton, TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation announced that the legislation would commence and the new Competition and Consumer Protection Commission would be established on 31 October 2014.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has a dual mandate to enforce competition and consumer law. Both organisations continued to perform their statutory functions until the merger was given effect on 31 October 2014.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is currently governed by an executive Chair and Membership structure. The Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2014 allows for a Chair and between two and six Members.

The former Chair of the Competition Authority, Isolde Goggin, was appointed Chairperson of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on taking up her former role in 2011. Ms Goggin is supported in her role by the Members of the new Commission which include the two former Members of the Competition Authority, Fergal O'Leary and Patrick Kenny, and the former Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency, Karen O'Leary, all of whom were appointed Members-designate of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation upon taking up their current positions.

References

  1. "COMPETITION ACT, 2002". Archived from the original on 1 May 2006.
Categories: