Mr. Brian McHugh:

In terms of our merger regime, the ultimate point of the merger regime is to protect consumers. With the carpark at Dublin Airport, for example, we blocked the DAA from owning it and effectively having a monopoly. Consumers are now protected because when they go to book with a carpark at the airport, they now have a choice and can trade off the prices. The companies are competing for their custom. That is how consumers are protected.

Specifically on waste, we issued a report on waste in 2018 where we explicitly said that the merger regime will not protect consumers from consolidation in the waste sector that we are seeing, that it needs a regulatory authority to do so, that we are concerned about the waste sector and the long-term impact on consumers, and that the way the sector is structured will mean there will not be new entry. You always like to see new entry into a market. It is what brings new ideas and innovation that benefits consumers. That will not be seen in waste and it needs some form of regulation. Seven years ago, we made that study. We continue to advocate for an intervention within the waste sector in order that consumers are protected.