Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First of all, I welcome the focus on consumers this week. The Government is right to look both at short-term and, vitally, long-term solutions to this problem. One of the areas in which we have been very negligent is that we have not confronted the rip-off that many larger companies carry out on consumers by making it difficult for them to find best value. It is typically the older and less tech-savvy people who are the vulnerable ones being exploited by companies through these practices. Many of those companies are using sophisticated big data to upsell and play on consumers' weaknesses to try to improve their position.

I am calling for four simple measures that will make a huge difference to consumers. The first is that they should be informed of the renewal date in good time. That happens in motor insurance but it does not happen in mobile, television, broadband, financial contracts or utility services. We need to change that.

We also need to introduce a provision whereby a simple quick response, QR, code is on the bill that a person gets so that they can see not only their use pattern but also the billing charges thereon. They can then go to comparison sites and see exactly where they can get better value, given their position and pattern of consumption.

The third thing is that a code of practice need to be introduced by the regulators whereby there can be a frictionless response to consumers who want to change their contract. Now, that attempt to make a change is frustrated by an inability to make telephone contact and to get responses in a timely manner.

This is all with the purpose of wearing consumers down so that they do not pursue their entitlements.

Finally, I ask that the electricity companies activate the 700,000 smart meters that are in people's homes to allow them to use off-peak and renewable energy and so bring down their bills. All of these rules would be beneficial to consumers but to make them effective we need to ensure the regulators in each case have the power to adjudicate finally on any complaints by consumers that these new rules are not being applied.

The reality is that there is better value to be had but companies are putting barriers in the way of consumers. My colleague, Senator Garret Ahearn, did an exercise and found that he saved more than €2,000 by simply looking to different broadband, telephone, television, car insurance and health insurance providers. We should make it easy for people to do that and make those comparisons. At times it is almost impossible. For example it is almost impossible for an ordinary consumer to compare their health insurance with what might be available elsewhere. With simple QR codes and sophisticated comparison sites that could be possible for consumers.

I realise that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is not the responsible Minister. I will take it up with the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, who I think will be in the House later in the day. I would like to convey my strong view that this is an opportunity to make big changes for the long-term benefit of consumers.

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