Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 124: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the administrative handling of the acquisition of a company (details supplied) by the Competition Authority; the nature of the contact he made with the authority following this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37942/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the merger provisions of the Competition Act, 2002, proposed mergers require regulatory clearance from the Competition Authority. I have no role in this process, other than in the case of "media mergers".

Following the announcement from the Competition Authority that it had incorrectly calculated the legal deadline before which it was required to issue a determination under the mergers provisions of the Competition Act, officials in my Department entered into correspondence with the Authority's Chairperson, Mr. William Prasikfa. I am satisfied with the explanation offered by the Chairperson and I continue to have the utmost respect for and confidence in Mr. Prasikfa and the Authority itself. The Authority has informed my Department of the various reviews it has carried out on foot of the error and of the measures it has put in place to ensure such an error will not happen again.

The Authority Chairperson appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise and Small Business on 25 October 2006 and he has offered a full explanation and apology to that Committee.