Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 enables the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to request the CCPC to carry out a study or analysis of any issue relating to consumer protection and welfare, any practice or method of competition affecting the supply and distribution of goods or the provision of services, or any other matter relating to competition and to submit a report to him or her.

No requests have been made by the Minister to the CCPC to carry out a market study or analysis in the past 12 months, nor has any other Minister requested to use those powers to request the CCPC to carry out a study for them.

In August 2019, the then Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, made a request to the CCPC to carry out a study of the public liability insurance market in Ireland. This study was requested as the issue of increases in public liability premiums for businesses was raised with her as a potential systemic threat to the existence of many businesses. Concerns were also expressed about the roles of insurance firms and intermediaries in the increased levels of public liability insurance premiums.

The study will compile a detailed assessment of the functioning of the market and make evidence-based recommendations as to how the Government may address the current issues around the cost and supply of public liability insurance. The CCPC commenced a wide range of activities to complete this study, including meetings with representative groups, public bodies, industry representatives and customers; conducting customer focused market research among a representative sample of businesses, community groups and sports organisations; issuing a public consultation paper to obtain the views of key stakeholders; analysing data that are available on the market; and undertaking desk-based research. We expect the chairperson of the CCPC to provide the report in the coming weeks.

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