Rip-off culture - More power needed to fight cartels

The report by the National Competitiveness Council which underlined Ireland’s rip-off culture and pointed to the country being the most expensive and least competitive in Europe was a damning indictment of commercial practices here.

What compounds the situation is competition law is almost ineffective in combating cartel arrangements.

A former member of the Competition Authority, Patrick Massey, who was also its enforcement officer, affords an enlightening insight into what he considers are the weaknesses of the present system and how it might be improved.