Professions study due out next week

The findings of a specially-commissioned report on competitive practices within eight professions will be made public by the Competition Authority next week.

The study, already with the authority, examines the activities of doctors, dentists, optometrists, vets, architects, engineers, solicitors and barristers.

Using the research as a foundation, the Government body will move to issue individual reports on competition within each profession on a phased basis.

If appropriate, the authority will seek changes to existing practices or will offer regulatory guidelines to Government.

In a separate development, the authority has come under fire from the Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU), which has taken issue with references to pharmacists in the body's annual report, published yesterday.

IPU president Mr Richard Collis said the authority had claimed undue credit for halting a possible strike among pharmacists last April. The authority cites the case as an instance where "actual or potential breaches of the Act were resolved without court action".

It says the IPU had threatened to withdraw pharmacy services but this had been avoided after the authority issued a statement on its view that such action would represent a breach of competition law. Mr Collis said yesterday the IPU had never specifically threatened to withdraw services in response to Government efforts to deregulate the sector.

He added that the union had, in any case, been advised it retained a constitutional right to strike when such action was justified. The IPU would consider contacting the authority to clarify the matter, Mr Collis said.

The authority's annual report shows its legal experts are considering 175 possible breaches of competition law.