Consultants settle price-fixing row

The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association and the Competition Authority have settled a dispute over alleged price-fixing.

Earlier this year the authority, following an inquiry, found the IHCA's involvement in negotiating fees between consultants and health insurers breached the Competition Act. It said the object/effect of the IHCA's collective negotiations had been to fix fees paid to consultants.

Yesterday, the IHCA undertook to play no role whatever in such negotiations. As a result, the authority will not institute proceedings against the IHCA. The IHCA denied that it was in breach of the Act and entered the undertaking without an admission of liability.