Competition boss slams 'anti-consumer' culture

Competition Authority chairman John Fingleton has launched a stinging attack on what he called Ireland's "culture of anti-consumer behaviour".

He said a number of studies and organisations had highlighted Ireland's lack of competitiveness and said specifically that:

- The National Competitiveness Council has outlined how costs have undermined our international competitiveness. Ireland ranks poorly on consumer goods (costs are joint first in the Euro area) for insurance premiums (fourth of 16 countries) landfill costs (third of 10 countries), and industrial electricity costs (third of nine countries).

- The recently published report of the Enterprise Strategy Group shows that Ireland ranked 14th of 16 countries for the intensity of local competition.

- The OECD suggested in its 2001 country report on Ireland that competition in the professional services sector in Ireland could be stronger.

- In 1995 food prices in Ireland were 11% below the EU average. By 2002 Irish prices had raced ahead to 14% above the EU average.

Mr Fingleton added: "The problems associated with the lack of competition that we see today are the result of decades of policy that put private interests above the interests of consumers and the national economy."

He was speaking before the Public Accounts Committee on the Competition Authority's accounts for 2002 and 2003.