Control of Prices Act, 1932

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PART III.

Retail and Wholesale Prices.

Investigations into retail and wholesale prices of scheduled commodities.

24.—(1) Where the Minister sends a request to the Commission to investigate whether unreasonably high retail prices or unreasonably high wholesale prices (as may be specified in such request) are being charged throughout Saorstát Eireann or in any specified part thereof for any scheduled commodity which conforms to the specification set out in such request, the Commission shall as soon as may be make an investigation (in this Part of this Act referred to as a price investigation) into, in case such request relates to retail prices, the retail and wholesale prices charged for such commodity in the area specified in such request or, in case such request relates to wholesale prices, the wholesale prices charged for such commodity in such area.

(2) Before sending under the immediately preceding sub-section a request to the Commission to make an investigation into the price (whether retail or wholesale) of butter the Minister shall first consult the Minister for Agriculture.

(3) Where any person (other than the Minister) sends a representation in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed particulars representing that unreasonably high retail prices or unreasonably high wholesale prices (as may be specified in such representation) are being charged throughout Saorstát Eireann or in any specified part thereof for any scheduled commodity which conforms to the specification set out in such representation, the Commission shall, if and only if they are of opinion that an investigation should in the public interest be made, make subject to the provisions of the next following sub-section as soon as may be an investigation (in this Part of this Act also referred to as a price investigation) into, in case such representation relates to retail prices, the retail and wholesale prices charged for such commodity in the area specified in such representation or, in case such representation relates to wholesale prices, the wholesale prices charged for such commodity in such area.

(4) Where a representation under the immediately preceding sub-section relates to the price (whether wholesale or retail) of butter, the Commission shall refer such representation to the Minister for Agriculture and shall not make any investigation into the subject matter of such representation except with the consent of the said Minister.