The Government has confirmed that a new National Consumer agency, with powers to issue on-the-spot fines and closure orders to businesses that breach consumer laws, is to be established.
The agency is being set up on the recommendation of a government advisory group, the Consumer Strategy Group, which has also called for the ban on below-cost selling be abolished.
Announcing details of the new agency, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheal Martin said it will ensure - for the first time - that the interests of consumers will be brought to the forefront of national and local decision making in Ireland.
The Minister said that a board of the new agency would be set up immediately - on an interim basis - until such time as the necessary legislation could be enacted to set it up on a statutory footing.
The Interim Board will be chaired by Ann Fitzgerald, CEO of the Irish Association of Investment Managers, who also chaired the Consumer Strategy Group.
Membership will include the existing Director of Consumer Affairs, Carmel Foley. Her powers and functions will be incorporated into the new agency. Other members will be announced over the coming days.
Minister Martin welcomed today's report from the Consumer Strategy Group. He said he agreed with the group that current policy was not effectively meeting the needs of the modern consumer and that it was essential that a new agency with an expanded remit be established.
The Strategy Group's report contained 34 separate recommendations, covering such diverse subjects as the groceries order, passenger transport, utilities, current government policy and processes and consumer legislation and enforcement.
He said he was establishing a 'High Level Interdepartmental Committee' to examine all the CSG's recommendations and to report back to Government with a detailed implementation plan within three months.
The CSG recommended that the Groceries Order be fully revoked, but acknowledged that there were strong arguments to be made on either side of the debate. Minister Martin said he was going to hold a public consultation process on the future of the order, which is expected to be completed within two months.
