Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Under the Bill, the new competition and consumer protection commission will be independent in the carrying out of its functions and duties. In this context, it will be obliged to operate within the legislative framework set out in the Competition and Consumer Protection Acts and the obligations placed on it by European Union legislation. Resources will be made available to the new commission in the same manner as all other State bodies as part of the budgetary and Estimates process and within the employment control framework. At present, both the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency already operate according to published prioritisation principles. The Bill provides in section 30 that the new commission will issue a strategy statement every three years, which will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and which will, inter alia, set out the key objectives, outputs and related strategies, including the use of resources of the commission. This will give visibility and transparency to the work of the commission when taken together with its annual reports. It also is worth noting that section 20 provides that I, as Minister, may issue directions in writing to the commission requiring it to comply with such policies of the Government as are specified in the direction. Moreover, such directions might be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. In light of the points made, I do not believe this amendment is necessary and thus, I am not in a position to accept it.

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