Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The Consumer Protection Act 2007, which commenced in May last year, empowers the National Consumer Agency to prepare and publish guidelines to traders regarding issues of consumer welfare and protection and matters related to commercial practices. The Act also empowers the agency to review or approve codes of practice submitted to it by traders or by their trade associations where the agency is satisfied that the code of practice protects consumer interests.

The agency is currently giving priority to producing guidelines for business in a number of areas. In early September it published a consultation document on guidelines for the retail sector relating to the advertising of price discounts and other associated matters. The guidelines are intended to facilitate the retail sector in complying with the requirements of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 in respect of a variety of misleading practices. When finalised, the guidelines will help traders to appreciate better their obligations to provide unambiguous information to consumers, to give clarity on certain aspects of the Act and to provide a basis for a fairer and more evenly balanced approach towards advertising throughout the sector. The agency is also close to finalising guidelines for the health and fitness sector, following a consultation exercise with key stakeholders.

The agency has also recently developed a code of practice with the Irish Home Builders Association which is to be followed by developers in their dealings in the development, interim management and sale of multi-unit development properties. The code, which came into effect at the start of this month, sets out a series of actions aimed to enhance the good operation of the multi-unit dwelling sector and thereby help to ensure that developers and consumers share an understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities in relation to multi-unit developments. The code includes specific provisions in respect of dispute resolution and redress and urges unit owners and developers to use alternative out of court mechanisms for resolving disputes.

I welcome the agency's initiatives in these areas and am confident that the production of guidelines in important sectors of the economy such as the retail and health and fitness sectors will help in the development of a strong consumer culture in those sectors. I support the agency's strategy of engaging constructively with businesses through initiatives such as agency guidelines and consumer codes of practice which will be of benefit not only to consumers but also to the businesses themselves and the economy as a whole.

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