Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if a decision has been made on whether the media mergers aspect of the Consumer and Competition Bill will be dealt with by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; the date on which this Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27530/12]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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In July 2011 my proposals for reform of consumer and competition legislation were approved by Government. These embodied two commitments given in the Programme for Government, namely, the merger of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority and the introduction of a legislative base for a code of practice in the grocery sector. In addition, the proposals gave effect to the recommendation of the advisory group on media mergers and updated certain elements of competition and consumer law.

Under the proposals, responsibility for the application of the public interest test in respect of media mergers will transfer to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The consolidation of the various elements of consumer and competition law into a single Act is entirely in keeping with the principles of better regulation and with the trend within Government to consolidate and simplify legislation for ease of reference for all users.

All of the elements of the package are important measures to be delivered. I see no benefit in progressing a stand-alone item of legislation for one element, to be followed in due course by a more comprehensive package of reforms. I expect the consumer and competition Bill to be published later this year.