Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we increase the amount of products that are repaired and that people have a right to have products repaired. Society has obviously changed from a time when it was completely normal for our parents’ generation to get things fixed. Many of the businesses that were involved in renovating have disappeared. Some young people would not even be aware that shoes can be resoled or reheeled. We are in a sense at phase 2 of the right to repair. At European level the rules were set that all manufacturers had to provide their manuals and spare parts after the products were made. For example, a manufacturer could not produce a car and then refuse to provide the parts afterwards. Manufacturers also have to provide the manuals on how to fix it. That was the first step. Now the EU is legislating on a right to repair, and I am involved in the discussions, that will extend to such things as durability ratings. When a person goes into a shop and tries to pick a washing machine, how does he or she guess which one will last longest, which one will last for five years and which will last for ten or 15 years? They can only do that is if there is independent testing, whereby somebody is testing these machines and coming up with a rating. If that rating is put on the appliance stating that this is a ten-year machine or a 15-year machine, then the consumer can make an informed choice in terms of one costs a bit more but will last longer. Up until now that has just be based on the brand or word of mouth. That will make a change. We already have energy ratings on products so that an item is rated A, B or C depending on how much electricity it uses. The next level of that will be ratings for durability and repairability. That will make a huge change. Those changes are happening quite quickly at EU level and are at an advanced stage. My reluctance to bring in those laws before the legislation appears at EU level is because I would have to have them approved by the EU to ensure they were not an interference in the Single Market. Anything I can do locally that improves the right to repair and that is legal within the EU framework, I am happy to do it.

Two issues put people off repairing. They do not know where to go.