Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposed company mergers that his Department is currently aware of under its responsibility for the regulation of mergers; the number of mergers dealt with by his Department in each year from 2002 to date in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18197/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Competition Act 2002 responsibility for regulating mergers and takeovers, with the exception of media mergers, was transferred from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment to the Competition Authority with effect from 1st January 2003. Details of all notified mergers since 1st January 2003 are available from the Competition Authority and are published on its website, www.tca.ie.

In 2002, 99 notifications were processed by my Department under the Mergers and Takeovers (Control) Acts, 1978 to 1996. As regards "media mergers" as defined by the 2002 Competition Act, my Department received 11 in 2003, 14 in 2004, 24 in 2005 and, so far, 6 in 2006.