The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has published its 2024 Annual Report, marking a decade of efforts to promote competition and protect consumers in Ireland. The report highlights key achievements, including the blocking of a potential monopoly at Dublin Airport and the removal of nearly 180,000 unsafe products from the market.

One of the standout actions was the CCPC's intervention to prevent daa from purchasing the former QuickPark car park site at Dublin Airport. This decision was made to avoid higher prices and reduced service quality for consumers, ultimately facilitating the entry of a new competitor in the car park market.

In terms of enforcement, the CCPC opened five new investigations into suspected breaches of competition law and conducted dawn raids on two premises related to a cartel investigation in the home alarm industry. Additionally, the CCPC assisted the Italian competition authority with a search of Ryanair’s headquarters as part of an ongoing investigation.

The report also details the CCPC's efforts in consumer protection, with over 200 inspections conducted, resulting in 47 fixed penalty notices and 23 compliance notices issued. Notably, Tesco Ireland faced legal action for failing to comply with pricing display laws.

CCPC Chairperson Brian McHugh emphasized the importance of the Commission's work in ensuring open and fair markets, stating that the CCPC remains committed to empowering consumers and advocating for competitive practices across all sectors of the economy.