Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----but I would take the advice of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission if it was to offer it.

The Chairman mentioned the representative organisations. In the course of researching the Bill I came across an article which referenced Dermott Jewell, who advocates on behalf of the Consumers Association of Ireland. It stated that, in August 2016 the Consumers' Association of Ireland, frustrated by the lack of progress on the issue, wrote to the leading retail representative bodies, Retail Excellence Ireland and Retail Ireland, asking them to agree to a six-year limit on all vouchers sold by their members.

It said that Irish consumers have for too long been issued with credit notes and vouchers, paid for in hard cash, with expiry dates that in reality devalue their money in the unacceptable, retailer determined three, six or 12 month period of time. Dermott Jewell went on to say that after the period of time the note becomes of no value, a worthless piece of paper, but there is no loss to the retailer who has the money for nothing safely in the bank. He said he was not surprised that both retail groups ignored his correspondence and did not give a response.