The Competition Authority's woes have been well-aired. Long starved of resources and staff, it stopped dealing with new complaints about a year ago.

A slew of well-reported departures from its most senior ranks meant there was no one to pursue allegations into the world of cartel-mongers.

So bad was the situation that some feared the roof would fall in - and it duly did, during a storm. It is proudly, then, that the following message appears under the careers' section of its website: "Currently there are no positions available in the Competition Authority."