Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

No, this is a recommendation of the consumer strategy group. I will deal with whatever issues the Deputy wishes me to deal with.

Those submissions have been examined and I met with various groups in the last month to discuss the groceries order. I intend to bring a report to Government detailing proposals in relation to the future of the order shortly.

In addition to the above mentioned recommendations, I have accepted a number of the consumer strategy group's recommendations relating to my Department, some of which have already been implemented. For example, the fines for breaching consumer protection laws have recently been significantly increased. The fundamental review of the existing code of consumer protection law, as recommended by the consumer strategy group, is already under way and additional resources have been dedicated by my Department to this task.

The consumer strategy group report contains more than 30 separate recommendations involving a variety of different Departments and agencies whose activities directly impact upon the interests of consumers. The scope and breadth of the recommendations required a co-ordinated response from Government. For that reason a high level interdepartmental committee was established to prepare a detailed plan for the implementation of the recommendations. The report of the high level committee is expected to be submitted to Government shortly.

I am confident the consumer strategy group's report offers the way forward in developing a robust and effective national consumer policy. Considerable progress has been made in implementing the report in the short time since its publication. I am anxious that progress continue to be made in this regard and I am confident that in conjunction with the interim board of the national consumer agency we will continue to make progress to the benefit of consumers.

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