Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 173: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received a report from the Competition Authority following its request to the authority to monitor the operation of the grocery trade on an ongoing basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30916/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Following the repeal of the Restrictive Practices (Groceries) Order 1987 in March 2006, the then Minister requested the Competition Authority to review and monitor developments in the grocery sector in light of the new regulatory environment.

In March this year, the Authority presented to me two reports as part of the Grocery Monitor Project. The first report, A Description of the Structure and Operation of Grocery Retailing and Wholesaling in Ireland: 2001 to 2006 provides a description of the market structure at the wholesale and retail levels of the Irish grocery sector.

The second report is entitled Price Trends in the Irish Retail Grocery Sector: A Description of the Evolution of Retail Grocery Prices between 2001 and 2007. In this report, the Competition Authority has considered the impact of the removal of the Groceries Order by examining the evolution of the aggregate retail grocery price trends since 2001 by analysis of price data published by the CSO.

These reports were noted by Government in April and were published by the Authority shortly thereafter.

At that stage, the Authority indicated its intention to publish a third Report examining the retail planning system as it applies to the retail grocery sector. Following the submission of that Report to me, I brought it to Government in July and this third Report, 'Retail Planning System as applied to the Grocery Sector 2001-2007', was published by the Authority on 10th September 2008. This report identifies a number of features of the retail planning system that affect competition in the grocery sector. It contains seven recommendations aimed at promoting competition in grocery retailing in Ireland.

I would like to advise the Deputy that the three Reports are available on the Authority's website www.tca.ie.