It never ceases to amaze the consumer in Ireland when they see the effects of de-regulation of semi-state authority control over goods and services. Once deregulation occurs, private sector competition enters the market and suddenly prices start to fall. Lean, mean business models hustle aside the monolithic and letargic public service offering that is weighed down with archaic work practices and too many staff.

Privatization of public utility services benefit the consumer enormously.  Take for example the demolishing of the ESB monopoly on providing electricity to Irish homes. Now suddenly there are several providers in the market, such as Airtricity and Viridian, offering lighting and heating tariffs that are up to a third less than the ESB were giving to their captive customers. The same happened when Telecom Eireann (later the much hated Eircom) was told to stand up and face the cold winds of  private sector competition. Soon telephone charges were tumbling down as a variety of cheaper packages hit the market.

Financial Ireland, a website that compares and examines issues in the consumer sector, reckons that savvy consumers can save up to 40% by, say, shifting their home heating provider.  It says that de-regualtion has effectively passed power from the government to the consumer. Money Ireland, another online analyst, states that is is only a matter of time before companies such as Bus Eireann and Irish Rail will succumb to private sector competition. The days of the indifferent and inefficent semi-state body are numbered, it seems.