Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

A decision will be made in October. It was important to allow a two-month public consultation programme prior to 31 July, as we did. We received a significant number of submissions which totalled 521. As I stated in replies to other questions, the order was introduced a long time ago, the situation has changed quite dramatically since then and the retail market has transformed. The Competition Act has clear provisions with regard to predatory pricing and abuse of dominance by any player in the market.

In this field one must always be careful with regard to the dividing line between genuine competition and what may be termed predatory pricing. It is not always easy to legislate definitively on that point. From my observations and analysis of the situation I will state the retention of the existing groceries order is not tenable. I have made that clear and put that view on public record. I want to make a recommendation to Government which will then require a reasonable period to decide upon that recommendation. A timeframe of the end of October will allow that.

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