Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Yes. I need to get the details of the specific case. If the Deputy provides them, I will ask my officials to scan through them and determine if there is any basis on which to send the case to the Competition Authority. The retailer in question could do so also.

From my observation of the brief before me, if a domestic company went unsolicited to Germany to make a purchase, a refusal to sell could be contrary to EU competition law. This matter could be explored. On the wider issue, there is competition across the EU and situations such as that described can materialise. I would like to see the full details of the case. My Department will examine it and determine to what degree it may contravene EU competition law.

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