About us
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the statutory body responsible for promoting compliance with, and enforcing, competition and consumer protection law in Ireland. We strive to improve consumer welfare across the economy by enforcing over 40 legislative instruments, including product safety legislation.
Our aim is to make markets work better for consumers. To achieve this, we work to influence public debate and policy development, grow public understanding of the importance of open and competitive markets, promote competition and highlight the interests of consumers.
We provide information to consumers about their rights, personal finance and product safety, through a consumer helpline, a dedicated section of our website, public awareness campaigns and through our various financial education initiatives.
The CCPC was established on 31 October 2014 after the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority were amalgamated.
What we do
Our goals
The CCPC’s Strategy Statement sets out a high level framework that enables us to deliver tangible, relevant and impactful strategic outcomes within the resources available to us.
Behind each of our four strategic goals there is an ambition, a set of actions and a set of metrics to chart the achievement of the goal.
Our 2024 – 2026 Strategic Goals & Ambitions are:
- Enforcement and Compliance: We will use all our tools, including our new powers, to increase enforcement and compliance outcomes.
To ensure consumers can trust that markets are working in their interests. - Empower and Inform: We will empower consumers to make informed choices.
To ensure every consumer is both informed and empowered, enabling them to make sound decisions, particularly in complex and changing markets. - Advocacy and Research: We will be the leading voice in promoting open and competitive markets and representing the interests of consumers.
To make markets work better for consumers by representing their interests nationally and internationally. - Structure and Resource: We will evolve and grow in size and capability.
To ensure our organisation evolves and grows with the landscape in which it operates – having the resources, expertise and capabilities required to deliver on our remit.
How we protect and promote competition and consumer welfare
Our role and functions are as follows:
Enforce
- Enforcing competition law – we enforce Irish and European competition law in Ireland. We conduct investigations and can take civil or criminal enforcement action if we find evidence of breaches of competition law. Read more about competition enforcement.
- Enforcing consumer protection law – we enforce a wide range of consumer protection legislation. We have a variety of enforcement tools to tackle illegal practices by traders. Read more about consumer enforcement.
- Assessing mergers – we must be notified about proposed mergers, acquisitions and takeovers which reach a certain financial threshold, and all media mergers. We assess whether they are likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition. Read more about mergers.
- Enforcing product safety regulations – we work to ensure that product safety standards are being complied with through the General Product Safety Directive and other relevant regulations. We also share information about dangerous goods and enforcement measures across the EU through the Safety Gate. Read more about product safety.
Inform
- Influencing public debate and policy development– we highlight to Government and other policymakers the possible impact of proposed legislation or regulations on competition and/or consumer welfare. We also study markets and recommend ways in which competition or the experience of consumers can be improved. Find out about our advocacy.
- Informing consumers about their rights – we empower consumers by giving them information about their rights through our helpline and website. We also run public awareness campaigns. Find out more about consumer rights.
- Encouraging business compliance – we aim to foster a culture of business compliance by informing businesses how to comply with the law. Read more about business compliance.
- Personal finance information and education – we have a specific role under legislation to provide personal finance information and education to consumers. Read more in our Money Hub.
Protect & Regulate
- Platform to Business Regulations– we are responsible for monitoring compliance with and enforcement of the Platform to Business Regulations. These rules create a fair business environment for smaller businesses and traders on online platforms. Find out more about the P2B Regulations.
- Authorised Credit Intermediaries – we share responsibility for the advertising of credit facilities with the Central Bank and have specific responsibility for the authorisation of credit intermediaries and for maintaining the Register of Credit Intermediaries.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution – we assess applications from parties that wish to become Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) entities. ADRs aim to resolve disputes between consumers and traders out-of-court. Find out more about Alternative Dispute Resolution.
- Digital Services Act – the CCPC is responsible for specific Articles of the Digital Services Act relating to online marketplaces. Businesses can find out more about their obligations under the Digital Services Act.
You can find out more about our functions, activities and vision in our Strategy Statement.
Who we are
The CCPC is governed by an Executive Chairperson and Commission structure. Each Member oversees a number of Divisions in the CCPC on behalf of the Commission.
Chairperson
Brian McHugh
Brian McHugh is the chairperson of the CCPC. As well as collegiate decision making with other Members on all aspects of the organisation, he manages the staff and administration of the Commission.
He was appointed as a Member of the CCPC in September 2017 and has overseen the Competition Enforcement & Mergers, Corporate Services and Communications Divisions. Prior to this he spent 15 years in Northern Ireland’s Utility Regulator, the body responsible for both regulating the gas, electricity and water utility industries in Northern Ireland. During his time at the Utility Regulator, Brian was Director of Gas and Director of Finance & Network Assets. Brian holds a BA in Economics from Trinity College, Dublin.
Members
Úna Butler
Úna Butler is a Member of the CCPC. As well as collegiate decision making with other Members on all aspects of the organisation, she currently oversees the Cartels, Forensic Technology and Data Analytics Division, Competition Legal Division, and Competition Enforcement and Mergers Divisions.
She was appointed as a Member of the CCPC in January 2022. Prior to this, she was Director of Legal Services & General Counsel at the CCPC since 2014. In that role, she was responsible for establishing the CCPC’s Legal Services Division and overseeing the provision of legal advice on all aspects of the CCPC’s work. Úna previously worked as a legal advisor in the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and as a lawyer in private practice in Dublin, specialising in EU, competition and regulatory law.
Úna holds a degree in Law/French from Trinity College Dublin, a Masters in European Law from the College of Europe in Bruges and a postgraduate diploma in Economics for Competition Law from King’s College London. She was called to the Bar in 2003 with a Barrister-at-Law degree from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. In 2019, Úna was included in a list of “40 in their 40s” Notable Women Competition Professionals in Europe, the Americas and Africa by W@, a global platform for women professionals.
Patrick Kenny
Patrick Kenny is a Member of the CCPC. As well as collegiate decision making with other Members on all aspects of the organisation, he currently oversees the Product Safety, Legal Consumer and Corporate, Consumer Enforcement, and Policy, Research and International Divisions.
He was first appointed as a Member of the Irish Competition Authority in January 2012 as Director of the Cartels Division. He is an economist. He took up his present responsibilities on 31 October 2014 upon the amalgamation of the Competition Authority with the National Consumer Agency. Patrick previously worked at different times for the Commission for Communications Regulation, the European Commission, Arthur Andersen and the Competition Authority.
Kevin O’Brien
Kevin O’Brien is a Member of the CCPC. As well as collegiate decision making with other Members on all aspects of the organisation, he currently oversees the Communications, Corporate Services, and Consumer Protection Divisions.
Kevin was appointed as a Member of the CCPC in August 2022. Before joining the CCPC, he was Head of Consumer Policy and Research at the Central Bank of Ireland and was Commissioner at the Commission for Communications Regulation from 2011-2018, serving as its Chairperson from 2013-2015. Kevin has also worked in a range of Irish Civil Service policy roles, dealing with energy, communications and broadcasting policy matters.
Kevin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from UCD, and a Masters in Development Studies from UCD. He also holds a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.