Tánaiste calls for end to competition barriers

There are too many barriers to entry to the professions in Ireland and it is not appropriate that those who regulate professional standards should also regulate and control entry, Tánaiste Mary Harney told an EU Presidency Conference today.

The conference on promoting competition entitled “European Competition Day” was held in Dublin Castle.

The Tánaiste said she very much looked forward to the outcome of the study being undertaken by the Competition Authority into the professions as well as studies into the insurance and banking sectors.

“Everyone knows we are paying far too much for services and that the barriers to entry into the professions are unreasonable,” the Tánaiste said

The Tánaiste also referred to the proposed EU Services Directive which, she said, was a key priority of the Irish EU presidency.

"In the EU 70% of employment is in the services sector yet there remain huge barriers to conducting trade in services across borders.

"It is a key priority of the Irish presidency to make progress on this Directive. We need to ensure we have mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

"You cannot have a single labour market if you maintain barriers which prevent people with professional qualifications practising in different countries,” she said.

She added: “What we need to do in Ireland and in Europe is to create fair markets for consumers. In an environment where business is protected and where there are barriers to entry, consumers always suffer. It is always better served when people have choice.”

“Competition policy has the power to drive innovation and to create more wealth and more employment,” the Tánaiste said.