The State’s competition watchdog is setting up a new unit to use surveillance powers given by recent legislation to investigate price fixing and other crimes.
Legislation passed in 2022 allows the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to use video and audio surveillance when investigating serious breaches of anti-cartel laws.
The commission hired a head of surveillance in 2024 and has continued recruiting staff for the unit through this year, according to its annual report.
The new unit’s work is confidential, the commission said at the weekend.
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A statement added that the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2022, which came into force in September 2023, gave the CCPC “enhanced surveillance powers when investigating serious criminal breaches of competition law”.
This “strengthened the CCPC’s ability to gather evidence”, it said.
The watchdog can only use its new powers when investigating criminal offences under competition law, including price fixing, market-sharing cartels and bid rigging, the CCPC explained.
The 2022 law permitted the commission to use powers under the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act, 2009, which also applies to An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and Revenue.
As with those bodies “the work of the CCPC surveillance unit is subject to oversight provided by the Office of the Independent Examiner of Security Legislation”, the commission noted.
The independent examiner’s office is a new body that was established last year to oversee the use of powers by State bodies to retain data, intercept communications and carry out surveillance.
Recently 252 dangerous baby products were removed from listings on websites following a sweep of online stores by EU authorities, including the CCPC.
The online stores included China’s Temu, Ali Express and Shein.
EU justice commissioner Michael McGrath warned at a speech in Dublin recently that the bloc was preparing to get tough on products that break its safety rules, many of which come from China.
He added that he would be raising this issue during a visit to China later this year.
The CCPC safeguards consumers’ rights and enforces laws outlawing price fixing and banning powerful companies from using dominant positions in their markets to stymie competition.
It also oversees mergers to ensure they do not damage commercial competition, leading to higher prices, lower quality and less choice for consumers.
