On 14 May 2015, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) carried out a dawn raid at numerous premises of Irish Cement Limited. The dawn raid is part of an investigation by the CCPC into alleged abuses of dominance in the bagged cement sector, under the Competition Act 2002, as amended. Irish Cement, a subsidiary of CRH plc, has stated that it fully facilitated the inspection and that it is continuing to co-operate with the CCPC. The CCPC has stated that its investigation is ongoing, and that it will take all necessary action to conduct a thorough investigation, including possible interviews with competitors and retailers. The dawn raid is a preliminary step in the investigation and does not mean that Irish Cement has been found to infringe competition law.
Contributed by Sheila Tormey.
