Ruling ‘may impact on enforcement of Irish competition law’

The Supreme Court's dismissal of the Competition Authority's case against the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) may have a major impact on the enforcement of Irish competition law, according to solicitors McCann FitzGerald.

In its ruling of May 8 2007, the Supreme Court overturned a High Court finding that the ILCU had abused a dominant position and thereby foreclosed the purported market for "credit union representation services" because credit unions were discouraged as a result from joining rival associations.