Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I welcome the Consumer Protection Bill, which is progressive and sensible. Consumer protection is the message in this legislation. We must face the reality that many consumers, citizens and taxpayers are not protected and their rights are not vindicated. This is important.

The purpose of the Bill is to establish a body known as the National Consumer Agency and to define its functions:

to give effect to the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005), to make new provision in relation to pyramid selling schemes, to amend the Industrial Development Act 1993, and to provide for related matters.

When talking about consumer protection it is important to note that prices are going through the roof. In recent weeks there have been major price increases in food, vegetables, fruit, gas and electricity. This Government, and the Minister, must address this because matters are getting out of control, regardless of pay increases for workers and staff.

There has been a 15% rent increase for people living in Dublin City Council housing projects, particularly those living on the northside of Dublin. I will defend the rights of the people living in my constituency of Dublin North-Central who have contacted my office because that increase is a little too much for them. The price rises affect the elderly, the disabled and working people in general. We must respect these people as consumers but more so as citizens because they must put up with the high prices which affect everybody's quality of life.

There is a crisis in Dublin such that young couples are unable to buy new homes which is unacceptable. We need to develop new ideas to assist these couples, whether through affordable housing or other schemes. A radical new approach is needed to help them.

The Minister and the Cabinet have a responsibility not to waste public money. The now famous Dublin Port tunnel was €200 million over budget. This is a scandal, and coupled with the 294 homes in my constituency that have been damaged as a result, it is unacceptable. The electronic voting scandal wasted €52 million. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who says he is concerned about the costs of the tribunals, spent €30 million on a farm that most people on the northside of Dublin would say was worth only €4 million. The site of the Battle of the Boyne could have been bought for €2.7 million but was instead bought by a private business and sold to the Office of Public Works 18 months later for €7.8 million. In the Minister's constituency the revamp of the courthouse in Cork was estimated at €6.5 million but cost the taxpayer €26.5 million.

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