The State's largest milk-processor, Glanbia, today dismissed allegations it was involved in price-fixing with other milk processors.
The allegations, which are due to be broadcast in tonight's Prime Timeon RTÉ, allege Irish consumers have been ripped off to the tune of millions by an illegal cartel in the liquid-milk industry.
The programme singles out Glanbia, formerly known as the Avonmore/Waterford Group, as the driving force behind the price-fixing cartel.
Glanbia denied the charges, saying because it was involved in a legal action with the Competition Authority, it could not comment in detail as the matter is sub-judice.
The programme claims to have a number of documents that show systematic operation of both the price-fixing and market-sharing cartels in the industry.
The documents apparently show that executives from ostensibly competing dairies contacted each other and held talks in a bid to raise the price of milk, the programme alleges.
The Competition Authority estimates cartels cost Irish consumers €635 million per year in higher prices, and costs the economy a further €1.27 billion in "dead weight" costs by encouraging corporate inefficiency.