Results 1-20 of 24 for segment:1718162 in 'Dáil debates'
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Joan Burton: Question 112: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to reports that some pubs and entertainment venues charged up to â¬12 for single drinks at New Year's Eve 2003 events; the steps she intends to take to stop such exploitation of consumers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3780/04]
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: The best way of ensuring that markets for any goods or services are delivering value for money to consumers is through increased competition and greater consumer vigilance. That is the objective towards which all our policy interventions in the field of competition and consumer policy are directed. Certainly, I have no plans to return to the days of official price control. Regulatory action...
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Kathleen Lynch: Based on the Tánaiste's answer, if there is competition in any area, it is in the drinks industry. There is an over-abundance of premises where people can buy and consume alcohol, so competition is not the answer and clearly has not worked in this case. In a recent question I asked about the additional charges that can be made for on-line bookings and the answer I received was that the...
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: I do not envisage a situation where there will be someone from the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs to police the Act outside every pub on New Year's Eve or other times of celebration.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Brendan Howlin: Why not?
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: It is not sensible. I know of no country where price control works. On the contrary, those that have the most free markets are those where prices are most competitive. Not every pub in Ireland charged â¬12 for a drink, so people had a choice to go into a place that charged â¬12 or a place that did not. There is only so much one can do for a consumer. If a facility has decided it can rip...
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Kathleen Lynch: If price control does not work, the free market is definitely not working for the consumer in Ireland. It is beyond reason that people should have to shop around on New Year's Eve to find a pub charging reasonable prices instead of â¬12 for a short or â¬10 for a pint. People do not go on a pub crawl on New Year's Eve because they want to stay in one venue to celebrate with their friends....
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: I am not an expert on licensing law but, given that we do not have price controls, if publicans wish to charge a fee of this kind, I presume they are free to do so, although I am not certain of the licensing implications. Licensing relates to a person's suitability to have a licence, police it and enforce the criminal law and opening times. It does not refer to pricing. It is wrong to say...
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Phil Hogan: The Tánaiste is out of touch because airline ticket outlets are certainly not as numerous as pubs. Progressive Democrats members like café-style bars and even spoke some years ago about the deregulation of pub licences, although we have not heard much about that lately. In rural areas, however, there would be great difficulty shopping around. On New Year's Eve people want a drink and are...
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: The Deputy has proved my point.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Phil Hogan: I am sure Progressive Democrats supporters travel from pub to pub to find out the price of drink.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Brendan Howlin: They travel by helicopter.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: I stayed at home on New Year's Eve.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Phil Hogan: We should get real about what people do. What mechanism does the Tánaiste propose to establish within the new quango, the consumer panel, to allow people to complain about prices and products with which they are unhappy?
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: The country is full of pubs and I am certain that pubs in Kilkenny and Carlow did not charge â¬12 for a drink.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Phil Hogan: I know every one of them.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: The Deputy was probably in all of them at some stage.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Phil Hogan: They are not café-style bars.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Mary Harney: Café-style bars change the drinking culture as well as providing drink for a reasonable price.
- Price Controls. (10 Feb 2004)
Phil Hogan: That is happening in Dublin 4.