Fine Gael is to reiterate its calls for the establishment of a so-called "super-regulator" incorporating the current bodies such as the Competition Authority, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the taxi regulator.
The proposal is a key part of its "consumer week" which it is launching in Dublin today.
The party's enterprise spokesman, Phil Hogan, told The Irish Times he believed there was a degree of "empire-building" among the various regulators which was not in the best interests of consumers. He pointed to the recent decisions of the CER regarding price increases for the ESB and Bord Gáis as examples of poorly-informed regulation.
"We will want to see a merged competition and regulatory structure which would be more robust on behalf of consumers."
He said among the areas which could be included in any over-arching regulation body should the party come to power were health insurance, aviation and communications.
Fine Gael plans to launch initiatives this week which are aimed at helping Irish consumers deal with the "rising cost of living which they are suffering under the Fianna Fáil/PD Government".
The initiatives will also include measures to ensure greater transparency in the labelling of goods, and the issue of residential management companies.
Fine Gael said the fact that there were 400,000 hits on its Ripoff.ie website last year highlighted the need for consumer advocacy here.
"January is a month where people really feel the squeeze of the high-price economy in which we live. Already this month we have seen a number of price increases which are putting further pressure on hard-working families," Mr Hogan said.
"We are committed to introducing a strong, independent consumer rights' enforcer when we are elected to government."
He said the party believed the Government, through more careful management of the public finances, "genuine" pro-consumer policies and more support for a "beefed-up" Competition Authority, could be a positive agent for prices and costs.
"This week we will announce a number of initiatives aimed at helping consumers in key areas including their household utility bills. In government we are committed to reversing the pattern of the last number of years where Government-controlled price increases and stealth taxes were the main driver of inflation."