Ms Isolde Goggin:

There are high-level provisions in the COM concerning the independence of resourcing of competition authorities to enable them to carry out the job they are given. We already have the power to summons witnesses, to examine witnesses under oath and to require the production of documents or records to us. The system we enforce is modelled around the criminal enforcement system, so our investigative powers are pretty good by comparison with our colleagues in other European countries. The deterrents and the punishments apply when we get to the stage of having proved that a breach has occurred.