It was patently obvious that the Competition Authority did not conduct any formal investigation or study into superstores or the Groceries Order, nor did it invite any submissions from any sources, Senator Paul Coghlan, Fine Gael's Enterprise, Trade and Employment spokesman, told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business yesterday.

He said the Competition Authority, when it made representations to the committee last month, displayed an exaggerated view of what could be achieved by the Competition Acts.

There was no shortage of entrants to the Irish grocery market so the Groceries Order and the ban on below cost selling clearly did not prevent new entrants.

The abolition of the order, coupled with the lifting of the cap on superstores would be a national disaster, he said.