No cartels prosecuted in five years

THE Competition Authority has still not prosecuted a single cartel despite estimates that price-fixing is costing consumers more than 600m euro each year.

The body, established five years ago, received hundreds of complaints over the actions of businesses in 2001 but no cartel proceedings were started.

Yesterday the authority's chief Dr John Fingleton insisted that recent staff appointments meant it was now a position to take a tougher stance on anti-competitive activity.