Results 701-720 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: We know what side the Minister is on. As I said, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment accepted in its report that there is nothing wrong with people using the statistics which best illustrate their case. That is a criticism that might also apply to the Department. I have serious concerns about the provisions the Minister is introducing in this legislation. The key objection to...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: I do not know why we did not get it.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: What——

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: I had no——

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: The assertion——

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: I have actually——

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: I am supporting that view.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: I have the floor, a Chathaoirligh. I did not interrupt the Minister.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: No, the Minister is not entitled to do that.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: I remind the Minister that I would like to see discounts and rebates being passed on to consumers. The Minister had the opportunity to receive many submissions on the matter and to produce a report, but there is nothing in the report to suggest that such practices are happening or to indicate what the Minister intends to do about them. The problems in this regard again cause me to highlight...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: The second reason is the question of proof required to establish predation. I have been advised that cases on predatory pricing may give rise to huge costs for any supplier or customer advocating a case to the High Court in regard to predatory pricing. Who will take the risk of putting themselves out of business by the evidential burden of costs or by losing customer share, if they lose the...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: The Bill is fundamentally flawed and needs to be amended if it is to deliver true benefits to consumers——

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: ——that it ostensibly set out to provide. I will bring forward amendments to ensure consumers receive benefits from what the Minister is trying to do. The Minister has not done so.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: The Minister has been against the consumer for a long time. Now is the time for the Fianna Fáil backbenchers to sort the Minister out.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: Minister, you can spin all you like, but what you are doing is concentrating the market in the hands of big business——

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: May I finish without interruption?

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: The Minister is not listening.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: In the present configuration of the legislation in which the Minister promised so much and delivered so little, he is anxious to satisfy big business at the expense of consumers.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: A pragmatic outcome.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Phil Hogan: I wanted a pragmatic outcome — lower prices.