CCPC requires binding commitments from Q-Park to acquire Tazbell Services
August 16, 2023
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has cleared, subject to legally binding commitments, the proposed acquisition of Tazbell Services Group Designated Activity Company (Tazbell)* by Q-Park Ireland Limited (Q-Park) (M/22/040).
The proposed acquisition was originally notified to the CCPC in August 2022. Following an extended preliminary investigation, the CCPC determined in December 2022 that a full investigation was required to establish if the proposed transaction would lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the State.
In the course of its investigation, the CCPC identified potential competition concerns relating to the supply of off-street car parking in parts of Dublin city centre and Galway city centre. These potential concerns included an increase in market concentration through the loss of close competition between Q-Park and Tazbell resulting in higher prices for car parking customers in the identified locations in Dublin and Galway. To address these potential concerns, Q-Park made a number of binding commitments to the CCPC.
As a result of these commitments, in Galway, the top level of Tazbell’s current car park is to be leased to a new entrant to the Galway market, an online parking provider, which will operate in competition with Q-Park, on a long term basis.
Following the transaction, Q-Park has agreed to cease operation of one of its Dublin city centre car parks at the expiration of the existing contract, allowing another competitor to bid for the contract to operate that car park.
To ensure compliance with these commitments, an independent monitoring trustee will be appointed, who will have all the rights and powers necessary to monitor compliance with the commitments.
Following detailed examination, and having taken into account, the commitments given by Q-Park, the CCPC has determined that the proposed acquisition will not substantially lessen competition and, as a result, can be put into effect. The CCPC will publish its full determination on its website no later than 60 working days after the date of the determination and after allowing the parties the opportunity to request that confidential information be removed from the published version.
Information about the merger notification can be found at M/22/040 – Q-Park / Tazbell Services.
Background information
Transaction details
Q-Park Ireland Limited is active in the provision of car parking management services in counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Wicklow. Tazbell and its subsidiaries, including Park Rite Limited, provide car parking management services, on-street parking enforcement services, toll operations services and parking consulting services in counties Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny, and Offaly.
*The proposed acquisition also involved the sale of Sarlon Limited Maukin Limited, and a number of subsidiaries of Tazbell, to Q-Park.
Timelines
| Transaction Timelines | |
| Notification | 5 August 2022 |
| Requirements for further information issued to Q-Park and Tazbell Information received |
14 September 2022
9 November 2022 |
| Phase 1 determination | 19 December 2022 |
| Requirements for further information issued to Q-Park and Tazbell Information received |
10 January 2023
6 April 2023 |
| CCPC issued assessment of proposed transaction to Q-Park and Tazbell | 25 May 2023 |
| Draft proposals received from Q-Park | 19 June 2023 |
| Phase 2 determination | 15 August 2023 |
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