Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Nash for bringing this Bill forward again. Sinn Féin supports the Bill going through Second Stage. The Bill seeks to amend the Competition and Consumer Protection Act. There is no requirement in Irish law that a business should charge only reasonable prices for goods and services or should achieve no more than a reasonable profit. There is an exception, however, in EU law and in the Irish consumer Act 2002 and this legislation seeks to prohibit the abuse of a dominant position by some businesses.

While it is not unlawful to have a dominant position, it is unlawful to abuse that dominant position. I welcome that the Bill seeks to bring greater transparency to the structure of large supermarket businesses in Ireland and to the sector more generally to end the secrecy around pricing structures in retail businesses. As we know, many people are absolutely puzzled as to how there have been such large price increases. Sometimes, when the price of oil increases, that is used as a rationale for this, but if the price of oil goes down, the prices never go down. When a war happens, such as in Ukraine, prices go up but they never go down. There are circumstances that need to be investigated.

It is important to also allow the CCPC to undertake a study and analysis of the costs large retailers incur, the profits they take and the prices they set - in other words, the cost to a retailer of supplying the goods or services concerned to consumers and the size of the business's profit margin. It is essential the CCPC would be allowed to collect any data it needed to complete this analysis and publish the results, and this Bill would allow that to happen. Knowledge and information are key to making the right decisions for consumers.

Sinn Féin supports the passage of the Bill through Second Stage and will potentially put forward amendments on Committee Stage. I know the Minister of State has already alluded to some of the questions, such as what would be the definition of a dominant market position or a dominant company and who makes a determination that a company is occupying a dominant position. Also, the provision of services is less easy to quantify than goods. How will businesses demonstrate the cost of services?

This Bill is brought forward in an environment of ever-increasing costs for people, with ever-increasing food and energy bills and other costs. At every door you go to and with every person you talk to, there is reference to the cost of living. It has not gone away. It is a very serious issue for people day in and day out who are trying to make ends meet. Ordinary workers and families are facing ever-rising prices, as evidenced by the recent publication of the consumer price index in April. Any measure that seeks to ethically address rising prices should be welcomed. I hope this Bill will contribute to a greater sense of fairness and transparency for consumers. It is very important consumers are able to see the profits companies are generating and compare them to the cost of making that item or producing that service. Only with openness, fairness and transparency can consumers make a better informed decision about the purchases they make.

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