Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a clear dividing line on fees. All non-fee terms and conditions can be negotiated. The dividing line is between employees, who can negotiate on wages, and incorporated or self-employed people, who cannot. Anyone operating as an independent, large undertaking would probably be regarded as a cartel if it decided to fix a price in negotiations with the State. The dividing line is between employees, who are free to negotiate on wages, terms and conditions, and undertakings, including independent and self-employed sole traders, which can negotiate on everything except fees. This is meant to prevent price fixing. It is at the core of EU competition law, from which our competition law is derived. We are not-----