Watchdog examines entry to professions

The Competition Authority has initiated a detailed review of the legal, construction, medical, dental and veterinary professions. The study by the authority's director of competition policy, Mr Decline Purcell, aims to identify "unnecessary or disproportionate restrictions to entry in eight specialisms".

It will also assess conduct guidelines and the structure of the professions concerned which are medical practitioner; dentist; veterinary surgeon; optometrist; solicitor; barrister; architect; and engineer.

Mr Purcell said the authority planned to publish a report next autumn with a series of recommendations for the Government and regulatory and professional bodies. In a consultation document published yesterday, the authority cited a report on regulatory reform by the OECD which criticised the level of competition in the professional services sector.

Asked whether the authority was merely going over ground covered by the OECD, Mr Purcell said he expected to go into "a bit more detail".

Of the OECD review group, he said: "They came, they saw. I won't say they conquered, but they're gone again."

The authority will contact professional bodies for the latest study. Mr Purcell said it had statutory authority to compel groups to provide information.