Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In this area of public policy, the new entrants are the shining stars. We always say how much we appreciate young people and so forth. Unfortunately, however, the incumbents invariably find new ways to keep new entrants out. Regarding Senator Burke's point, the Competition Authority is a fairly barkless watchdog in these matters. There are so many examples in Ireland where the incumbents rig the market. We have a labour market of insiders and outsiders, with lots of unemployed young people, which never worries the insiders, who invariably block access. When we set up a body to draw up regulations it should focus on professional standards, quality and so forth, not on keeping out new entrants. However, regulatory bodies tend to gravitate towards the latter type of regulation. The Competition Authority has issued mild warnings in this regard, as demonstrated with regard to buses and taxis in the past. Nobody stays awake at night wondering what the Competition Authority will do. The authority will not do anything in this area unless we provide for it in legislation. One of the best ways to keep incumbents in any profession on their toes is to provide a constant stream of new entrants, who improve the professions by raising standards and bringing new ideas, but invariably we tend to go for the opposite approach. That is why Senator Crown's amendment is very appropriate. Indeed, we should see it applied to many other areas of professional activity, because competition is not the norm and the Competition Authority is slow to intervene unless it is invoked, which is what this amendment does.