James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation his plans to amend the Competition Act to facilitate negotiations between himself and the Irish Medical Organisation; if he will provide a licence to the National Union of Journalists and Equity to negotiate pay rates on behalf of their members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19297/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring to amending the Competition Act 2002 to facilitate negotiations between the Minister for Health and Children and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO). The issue of amending the Competition Act 2002 to facilitate such negotiations is being examined in the context of the Consumer and Competition Bill, which I hope to publish later this year. This Bill will, inter alia, give effect to the merger of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority. In addition, an amendment to competition law to give effect to the Government commitment under "Towards 2016" regarding the exemption of certain specified categories of vulnerable workers (voice-over actors, freelance journalists and session musicians) from competition law will also be considered in the context of this Bill. All such amendments would have to be subject to consistency with EU competition law.

Negotiation licences are issued to trade unions under the Trade Union Act, 1941 for the purpose of carrying out negotiations for the fixing of wages and other conditions of employment. The Irish Medical Organisation, the National Union of Journalists and SIPTU (of which Irish Equity is a part) hold negotiation licences under section 6(1) of the 1941 Act.