It is very much in keeping with the Minister's philosophy that the Competition Authority is working very well as an independent statutory authority. In carrying out its commitment to oversee and promote competition in the market, the authority has published a number of reports providing clear, sometimes disturbing and often surprising findings. It recently announced the publication of its annual report for 2002 which reveals the first promising indications of increased output arising from improved public investment in competition. It also highlights the resolution of many important investigations without resort to litigation, as well as information on two criminal investigations, 56 summonses and 18 searches which were carried out by the authority during the year.