Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 170:

In page 116, line 11, to delete “and”.

All three amendments deal with the changes needed for authorised officers of ComReg. Amendment No. 171 expands the amendments already being made to section 39 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002 relating to the powers given to authorised officers of ComReg when it is acting as a competition authority. There are some additional powers which are available to authorised officers of the CCPC when acting as a competition authority, under section 37 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014, when compared with the existing power of authorised officers of ComReg. It is important that the powers of authorised officers of both agencies, when acting as a competition authority, are the same to allow them to be fully effective in investigating possible breaches of competition law and also to avoid any potential challenge to an investigation conducted by either competent authority in the courts where their powers may differ. This amendment for ComReg’s authorised officers mirrors the additional powers being given to authorised officers of the CCPC through earlier amendments. It also mirrors the existing powers of authorised officers of the CCPC under section 37 of the 2014 Act.