Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if a decision has been made on whether the media mergers aspect of the Consumer and Competition Bill will be dealt with by the Minister for Communications; when the Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37406/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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In July 2011 the Government approved the draft heads of the Consumer and Competition Bill which, inter alia, gives effect to the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Media Mergers in full with two amendments: one sees the change in relevant Minister for public interest considerations from the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to the Minster for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and the other relates to designating the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee as a notifiable body when the Minister is considering proposed media mergers from the public interest aspect.

This Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and I expect to publish it later this year. Therefore while responsibility for the public interest test will transfer to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources it will do so under legislation which I am sponsoring.