It is important that we commit to law reform and allocate resources to ensure effective investigation and prosecution, says Shane Kilcommins.

A Bill aimed at protecting freelance workers has been passed by the Seanad.

Have you noticed the closure or takeover of a local wine shop recently?

The country’s consumer protection watchdog has not taken any action to investigate the soaring cost of motor insurance despite hard-pressed businesses and consumers facing huge increases over the past 18 months.

It seems that the legal profession is set to continue on its expensive merry way despite calls from the Troika and the Competition Authority to overhaul legal practices here.

The capitulation of the Government to the legal profession displays again how vested interests can hold others to ransom, writes Michael Clifford

Leading Irish sports retailer Elverys has acquired the landmark Maher’s Sports business in the heart of Cork city.

ALMOST five years ago, when the troika stormtroopers confronted our Government with a chilling dose of reality around what we could and could not afford, one of the cost drivers targetted was Ireland’s exceptionally high legal fees. 

Over 10 years ago, just when the bank lending boom was getting under way, the then Competition Authority launched a report investigating the structure of the financial industry here.

The government’s chief legal expert during the crash has confirmed that officials were “constantly” discussing five specific ways to cope with crisis from November 2007 and knew the risk was “systemic” from April 2008.

Shares in cement company CRH are likely to come under pressure today after the company confirmed its premises had been raided by the country’s competition watchdog

Senior civil servants are to face calls to appear again before an Oireachtas committee after a second organisation seemed to distance itself from suggestions that it was “satisfied” with privacy provisions of the postcode to be launched this year.

A European Court of Justice ruling could see full union rights restored to tens of thousands of freelance workers denied such entitlements for more than a decade, according to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

More criminal prosecutions of companies that break consumer protection laws are on the way, Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton has promised.

Parents have been told to use their power to persuade schools not to restrict the sale of uniforms to just one shop after the Competition Authority forced a manufacturer to supply a second retailer with one school’s uniform.

The Competition Authority is urging schools to allow a number of different retailers to sell school uniforms.

The National Consumer Agency and Competition Authority are to merge, it has been announced.

Phone companies and banks top the list of businesses causing concern, confusion, and complaints among customers, according to the National Consumer Agency helpline.

A row between the Irish Medical Organisation and the Competition Authority over whether the union could negotiate collective agreements has ended in the IMO giving an undertaking not to organise or recommend a collective withdrawal of services or boycott by members.

The Irish Medical Organisation says it has reached a "highly significant" deal which will allow it to represent GPs in contract talks with the Government.

WE were promised a great cull of quangos, three years ago.

Newstalk says RTÉ’s refusal to screen an advertisement promoting the independent radio station contravenes its public sector broadcasting remit.

The UK business recently put in charge of managing IBRC commercial property loans bound for Nama has agreed to buy an Irish-based specialist software firm for nearly €130m.

The grocery market is to be strongly regulated to ensure fairness between suppliers and retailers.

The Government is to sign off this week on a beefed up authority to protect the rights of consumers.

The Competition Authority investigated 34 complaints of alleged criminal cartel behaviour or price fixing in 2013, as well as reviewing 14 such complaints carried over from previous years.

The Competition Authority has issued a warning about proposed new rules for taxis.

When the Irish people voted to join what was then called the European Economic Community we did so on the basis of how it would improve our lives — in other words what we would get out of the relationship.