Competition Authority seeks Leader deal details

THE Competition Authority has sought further information from Johnston Press before it approves the €138 million takeover of the Leinster Leader group.

Although the authority has already cleared Johnston’s €95m purchase of the Local Press company, it has yet to sign off on the Leinster Leader deal.

The takeover also needs the approval of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin.

Johnston Press chief executive Tim Bowdler confirmed to the Irish Examiner that his company was co-operating with the authority, though he would not comment on what aspects of the takeover was being scrutinised.

“We view this very much as the Competition Authority doing the sort of thorough job they need to do but I don’t think there is anything unusual or surprising in it,” Mr Bowdler said.

The acquisition of the Leader group - which owns the Leinster Leader, Limerick Leader, Dundalk Democrat, Offaly Express, Leinster Express and Tallaght Echo in Dublin - will make Johnston Press the largest regional newspaper publisher in Ireland.

It already owns five titles in the Republic and 24 in North (excluding the Local Press titles). Johnson is the fourth-largest regional publisher in Britain.

It entered the Irish market for the first time this year when it bought the Irish newspaper division of Scottish Radio Holdings.