Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014
Number 29 of 2014
COMPETITION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT 2014
REVISED
Updated to 27 March 2024
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Competi1tion and Consumer Protection Act 2014. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.
All Acts up to and including the European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Act 2024 (9/2024), enacted 12 March 2024, and all statutory instruments up to and including the European Union (Contestable and Fair Markets in the Digital Sector) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 117 of 2024), made 27 March 2024, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to
revisedacts@lawreform.ie.
Number 29 of 2014
COMPETITION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT 2014
REVISED
Updated to 27 March 2024
CONTENTS
Preliminary and General
Section
1. Short title, collective citations, construction and commencement
4. Time limit for institution of summary proceedings
6. Transitional provisions relating to mergers
Establishment of Commission and Dissolution of Bodies
Establishment of Commission
9. Establishment of Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
11. Supplementary powers of Commission with respect to carrying out certain functions
13. Indemnity for members, members of staff and authorised officers of Commission
15. Meetings and procedures of Commission
16. Membership of either House of Oireachtas, European Parliament or local authority
18. Investigations by Commission
19. Provision for co-operation between Commission and certain prescribed bodies
23. Relationship of Commission with foreign competition or consumer bodies
24. Disclosure of information relating to offences
25. Prohibition on unauthorised disclosure of confidential information
25A. Professional secrecy under Digital Services Regulation
26. Accountability of chairperson to Committee of Public Accounts
27. Accountability of chairperson to other Oireachtas Committees
30. Strategy statement and work programme
33. Saving for legal privilege
Authorised Officers
35. Appointment of authorised officers
37. Powers of authorised officers in relation to investigations under Act of 2002
37A. Requests for information relating to investigations
Dissolution of National Consumer Agency and Competition Authority
38. Dissolution of National Consumer Agency and Competition Authority
39. Transfer of functions to Commission
40. Transfer of staff to Commission
41. Transfer of land and other property
43. Liability for loss occurring before establishment day
44. Provisions consequent upon transfer of functions, assets and liabilities to Commission
46. Final accounts and final annual report of dissolved bodies
Amendments of Act of 2002
47. Amendment of section 3 of Act of 2002
48. Amendment of section 6 of Act of 2002
49. Amendment of section 12 of Act of 2002
50. Amendment of section 14A of Act of 2002
51. Amendment of section 14B of Act of 2002
52. Amendment of section 15C of Act of 2002
53. Amendment of section 16 of Act of 2002
54. Amendment of section 17 of Act of 2002
55. Amendment of section 18 of Act of 2002
56. Amendment of section 19 of Act of 2002
57. Amendment of section 20 of Act of 2002
58. Amendment of section 21 of Act of 2002
59. Amendment of section 22 of Act of 2002
60. Amendment of section 24 of Act of 2002
61. Amendment of section 26 of Act of 2002
62. Amendment of section 27 of Act of 2002
63. Amendment of section 28 of Act of 2002
64. Amendment of section 47 of Act of 2002
65. Amendment of section 47A of Act of 2002
66. Amendment of section 47B of Act of 2002
67. Amendment of section 47C of Act of 2002
68. Amendment of section 47D of Act of 2002
69. Amendment of section 47E of Act of 2002
70. Amendment of section 47F of Act of 2002
71. Amendment of section 47G of Act of 2002
72. Amendment of section 50 of Act of 2002
73. Amendment of section 52 of Act of 2002
Media Mergers
Amendments of Act of 2007
75. Amendment of section 2 of Act of 2007
76. Amendment of Part 2 of Act of 2007
77. Amendment of section 55 of Act of 2007
78. mendment of section 83 of Act of 2007
79. Amendment of section 87 of Act of 2007
80. Amendment of section 90 of Act of 2007
81. Insertion of Schedule 9 to Act of 2007
82. Miscellaneous consequential amendments to Act of 2007
Grocery Goods
83. Grocery goods undertakings
84. Amendment of section 86 of Act of 2007
85. Commission may publish certain information in respect of grocery goods undertakings
Miscellaneous
87. Amendment of Central Bank Act 1942
88. Amendment of Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003
89. Amendment of Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011
90. Amendment of Schedule 1 to Criminal Justice Act 2011
91. Amendment of European Communities (Cross-Border Mergers) Regulations 2008
Acts Referred to
Adoptive Leave Acts 1995 and 2005
Broadcasting Act 2009 (No. 18)
Carer’s Leave Act 2001 (No. 19)
Central Bank Act 1942 (No. 22)
Central Bank Reform Act 2010 (No. 23)
Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 (No. 24)
Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 (No. 3)
Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007 (No. 22)
Companies Act 1990 (No. 33)
Companies Acts
Competition (Amendment) Act 1996 (No. 19)
Competition (Amendment) Act 2012 (No. 18)
Competition Act 1991 (No. 24)
Competition Act 2002 (No. 14)
Competition Acts 2002 to 2012
Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993 (No. 8)
Consumer Protection Act 2007 (No. 19)
Courts Act 1964 (No. 11)
Criminal Justice (Search Warrants) Act 2012 (No. 33)
Criminal Justice Act 1984 (No. 22)
Criminal Justice Act 2011 (No. 22)
Criminal Law Act 1976 (No. 32)
Defence Act 1954 (No. 18)
European Parliament Elections Act 1997 (No. 2)
Interpretation Act 2005 (No. 23)
Local Government Act 2001 (No. 37)
Maternity Protection Acts 1994 and 2004
Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973 to 2005
Offences Against the State Act 1939 (No. 13)
Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 (No. 20)
Parental Leave Acts 1998 and 2006
Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 (No. 46)
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851 (14 & 15 Vic, c. 93)
Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 (No. 29)
Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001 (No. 45)
Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 (No. 33)
Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 (No. 37)
Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 to 2012
Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994 to 2012
Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2007
Number 29 of 2014
COMPETITION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT 2014
REVISED
Updated to 27 March 2024
An Act to provide for the establishment of a body to be known in the Irish language as An Coimisiún um Iomaíocht agus Cosaint Tomhaltóirí or in the English language the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, to provide for the dissolution of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency, to amend the law relating to media mergers and for that and other purposes to amend the Competition Act 2002, the Central Bank Act 1942, the Consumer Protection Act 2007, the Criminal Justice Act 2011 and the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011, and to provide for related matters. [28 th July, 2014]
Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows: