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Parking deal faces full competition probe

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has decided to carry out a full investigation into a plan by car-park operator Q-Park to acquire the company that owns Park Rite.

The competition watchdog said, after a preliminary investigation, it would carry out a full probe, known as a Phase 2 investigation, into the Q-Park’s proposed acquisition of Tazbell Services Group, Sarlon Limited, and Maukin Limited.

Q-Park provides services in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, and Wicklow. It is owned by a Dutch-incorporated company called Q-Park Holding BV.

Decision on ‘substantial lessening’

Tazbell Services and its subsidiaries are involved in car-park management, on-street parking enforcement, toll operations, and parking-consulting services in Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny, and Offaly.

The commission’s probe will assess whether the proposed deal could lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the State.

The CCPC will publish its phase 1 determination no later than 60 working days after the date of the determination, and after allowing the parties the opportunity to request that confidential information be removed from the published version.