Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

Amendments Nos. 18 to 20, inclusive, refer to a strictly well regulated market and industry where sustainability is taken into account before licences are granted. Those are core attributes of what we hope will be an effective market in order that we do not end up with the worst result similar to what we have witnessed in a so-called regulated market in the UK where a public provider was replaced with a private monopolist, which could do what it liked. The Office of Fair Trading has accepted that and responsibility has transferred to the Competition Authority. Transport is cited as an uncompetitive industry and it will be hard for administrators to untangle that for most of the UK. I want us to avoid that fate and that is why I will press a number of the amendments.

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