265. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the key measures taken in the area of consumer affairs and competition since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53464/26]

Protecting consumers and promoting effective competition remain key priorities for my Department. Since January 2025, substantial progress has been made in strengthening Ireland's consumer protection and competition framework. This work supports the Government's commitments under the Programme for Government and the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity to strengthen competition, enhance consumer protection, reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and improve the functioning of markets for consumers and businesses.

The principal measures taken to date, together with priorities for the remainder of 2026, are outlined below.

Consumer protection and EU legislation

Since January 2025, a number of important consumer protection and market surveillance measures have been advanced, including:

• During 2025, the transposition of the European Communities (Simple Pressure Vessels) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 and the European Communities (Aerosol Dispensers) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, strengthening product safety, compliance and market surveillance frameworks for products placed on the EU market.

• During 2025, the transposition of the European Communities (Noise Emission by Equipment for Use Outdoors) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, updating the regulatory framework for noise emissions reporting in line with EU requirements.

• In March 2026, the transposition of the European Union (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition) Regulations 2026 was finalised, supporting consumers to make more informed and sustainable purchasing decisions as part of the European Green Deal.

• During 2025, negotiations were completed on the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes and Toy Safety files, with transposition work due to commence in the coming months.

• Work is also ongoing on the transposition of the Right to Repair Directive, with a view to meeting the transposition deadline of 31 July 2026. This measure, together with the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products initiatives, forms part of broader EU efforts to promote more sustainable consumption.

Competition policy and market regulation

Significant measures have also been taken to strengthen Ireland's competition framework and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens:

• In June 2026, I signed a Ministerial Order increasing the thresholds for mandatory merger notification to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). This followed a public consultation process and will reduce administrative burdens on business while allowing the CCPC to focus its resources on mergers most likely to have a distortive effect on competition.

• The CCPC continues to retain its statutory power under the Competition (Amendment) Act 2022 to call in below-threshold mergers where there is a potential risk to competition.

• Ireland has continued to support implementation of the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation, which is designed to ensure a level playing field for businesses operating in the EU Single Market by enabling the European Commission to investigate subsidies granted by third countries.

• In June 2026, I signed warrants of appointment to ensure Ireland has authorised officers available to assist European Commission investigations under the Regulation where required.

• Ireland will continue to engage with the European Commission and Member States on the ongoing review of the Regulation during its EU Presidency.

Priorities for the remainder of 2026

Legislative programme

My priorities for the remainder of 2026 include:

• Progressing the development of the Consumer Protection, Competition and Enforcement Bill, which will:

- strengthen the CCPC's ability to enforce consumer protection law through the introduction of an administrative sanctions regime;

- support the detection of bid-rigging in public procurement through screening mechanisms designed to identify potentially anti-competitive bidding patterns; and

- enhance pricing transparency and related consumer information.

• These measures will support more effective enforcement of competition and consumer protection law, help secure better value in public procurement and contribute to a fairer and more transparent marketplace for consumers and businesses.

Ireland's EU Presidency

During Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union:

• Ireland will chair a number of competition and consumer policy working parties.

• Competition working parties will consider the operation of key elements of the EU competition framework and examine opportunities to modernise competition rules to ensure they continue to deliver effective competition across European markets.

• Consumer working parties will begin discussions on the European Commission's proposed Digital Fairness Act, which seeks to strengthen and simplify consumer protection in the online environment, and will also consider proposals to review the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation.

• The EU Product Act is expected to be published in September 2026 and will be progressed by the Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth – Internal Market.

• In October 2026, Ireland will host European Competition Day, bringing together national competition authorities from across the European Union to discuss key competition policy issues.

• In November 2026, Ireland will host the EU Consumer Summit, a major stakeholder event focused on consumer issues in the digital economy, which is expected to attract over 300 representatives from across the consumer policy community.

• In November 2026, I will also chair an Informal Consumer Affairs Ministerial Meeting, bringing together EU Consumer Affairs Ministers for focused discussions on key consumer policy and legislative issues.

CCPC achievements

The CCPC has delivered a number of significant outcomes during this period in support of my Department's objectives.

Research, analysis and market monitoring

• In late 2025, the CCPC published its landmark State of Competition in Ireland report, providing detailed insights into competition in the non-financial services sector over the period 2008–2022 and delivering on a commitment in the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity.

• In August 2025, the CCPC published an updated analysis of the Irish grocery sector. While noting significant food price inflation in recent years, the analysis found no evidence that competition is not functioning effectively in the grocery retail market and confirmed that continued monitoring of the sector remains warranted.

• In March 2026, the CCPC published its Fuel Report in response to concerns regarding fuel prices. The report concluded that recent increases were primarily driven by wholesale costs rather than competition concerns.

Enforcement and consumer protection outcomes

Among the CCPC's key achievements were:

• Securing a significant competition enforcement outcome, with five school bus operators found guilty by a jury of anti-competitive bid-rigging practices following a CCPC investigation.

• Securing five successful consumer protection prosecutions, including the first cases taken under new sales pricing legislation, involving major retailers including Boots, Lifestyle Sports, DID Electrical Appliances and Rathwood Home & Garden.

• Conducting 270 inspections nationwide during 2025, representing a 31% increase on 2024 levels and supporting stronger consumer protection and market surveillance enforcement.

• Continuing product safety enforcement activity, including action to remove unsafe and non-compliant consumer products from the market.

• Securing redress for more than 5,600 consumers following intervention in relation to incorrect gift voucher expiry practices operated by JD Sports.

Demonstrating impact

• On 30 January 2026, the CCPC published its Impact Assessment Report 2021–2024, which estimated that its interventions and consumer information services delivered €682 million in direct benefits to consumers over the four-year period.

• These benefits were delivered at a cost of approximately €32 million, representing a benefit-to-cost ratio of 21:1.

• The report found that competition law enforcement accounted for approximately €463 million in benefits, while consumer protection measures generated a further €220 million.

Strengthening the CCPC

To ensure the CCPC can continue to deliver on its mandate:

• During 2025, my Department worked closely with the CCPC to complete a review of its senior leadership structure.

• During 2025, I appointed a new Member of the CCPC, further strengthening its senior leadership team.

• Approval was also provided for two Senior Director posts to enhance the organisation's executive capacity.

• During 2025 and 2026, provisions of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2022 were implemented to support the new administrative enforcement regime, including the appointment of a Chief Adjudication Officer and adjudication officers.

Taken together, these measures demonstrate significant progress in delivering on Programme for Government commitments and the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity. Through legislative reform, stronger enforcement, enhanced consumer protections and active engagement at EU level, my Department and the CCPC are continuing to promote competitive, transparent and well-functioning markets that support consumers, businesses and the wider economy. This work will continue throughout the remainder of 2026 and beyond.