Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I agree with the Deputy that this is a serious issue. What drew my attention to it and to amending the law on this issue was the volume of complaints received. In 2007 to 2008 some 21,000 people sought to unsubscribe to services and more than 6,000 direct consumer complaints were made. If one receives that level of public complaint, there is a serious problem concerning an issue. Part of the problem is that there is not sufficient legal protection or legal enforcement and that is what will be addressed in the Bill. It is on the A list of the Government's legislative programme and is to be published this session. I still expect we will be able to do that subject to Cabinet approval. That allows us the summer for any other bodies to consider it before it will be introduced in the Dáil to be enacted.

The Deputy is right in what she said. I will not go into the details of the Bill before it is published. We are seeking to ensure there is provision in the Bill for the imposition of significant fines, real powers and, crucially, codes of conduct for operators to ensure the refunds the Deputy mentioned are effectively delivered. This is important legislation covering an issue that annoys many people. Such practices involves a financial loss for them that is often daylight robbery. We have to stop that.

See this speech in context