Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

The groceries order did not work in the way it has been claimed. Replacing it with the same law under a different guise will not work. We must encourage low prices, not demonise them. We must not try to scare consumers into thinking low prices are bad for them.

I was taken aback by the number of references in the debate to the report by the consumer strategy group. It was suggested more than once that the decision to revoke the groceries order has been based on a recommendation by that group. Deputy Lynch referred to it and Deputy McHugh repeated the assertion at least three times in the course of his contribution. Both were wrong. The Government's decision on the order was made on the basis of a detailed review and analysis by the Department which was published last November. The Deputies would have spent their time more productively by reading the report and concentrating less on the report of the consumer strategy group.

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