The new chairman of the Competition Authority, Dr John Fingleton (34), has said he will focus on using its enforcement powers for the benefit of consumers during his term of office, which begins in May.

Other priorities will include developing a "high degree of certainty" about the authority's rules and regulations for the business and economic community, Dr Fingleton said yesterday.

In a related development, the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, has said the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will undertake a study along with the authority to assess its long-term needs. Ms Harney acknowledged the authority had faced difficulties due to the departure to the private sector of its former chairman, Dr Paddy McNutt, and several other staff members.

"I think everyone agrees that it [the authority] is somewhat depleted," said Dr Fingleton. "We're in a very tight labour market and for an organisation like the Competition Authority to recruit and maintain an adequate staff is going to be difficult."

He expressed confidence, however, that vacancies for economic and legal personnel would be filled in time for his arrival.

Asked why the authority had yet to secure a criminal conviction for anti-competitive practice, Dr Fingleton said: "The enforcement powers are relatively new and it does take time to build up evidence to get cases going. The authority has been very successful at getting firms to get practices stopped without litigation.

"Obviously the authority needs to continue on the path it set out on in terms of prioritising anti-cartel and anti-monopoly enforcement."

Dr Fingleton currently works as a visiting scholar in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago. He also works as a senior consultant at National Economic Research Associates in Chicago for clients such as Microsoft and the Visa card association. He has resigned from the Economics Department at Trinity College Dublin, from which he has been on leave of absence.