Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will bring forward measures to give the energy regulator, CER, co-competition powers with the Competition Authority over the oil and liquid fuels market to ensure a strongly competitive retail petrol and diesel market; if he will direct CER to investigate and report on pricing policies in the oil and liquid fuels market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11342/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated. There is free entry into the market. The Competition Authority is a statutory independent body with a specific role in the enforcement of competition law. The National Consumer Agency has specific responsibilities for protecting the rights of consumers. Its function is to ensure that competition works optimally for the benefit of consumers throughout the country. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is the independent body statutorily responsible for overseeing the liberalisation of Ireland's electricity and gas sectors. The CER has no role in regard to the oil industry.

There are no proposals to bring forward measures to give the CER a role in regard to the Irish oil industry, given the roles and responsibilities of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency.