Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I move:

That Seanad Éireann:

—welcomes the publication of the report of the consumer strategy group and is in agreement with the group that in order to ensure the needs of the modern consumer are met, it is essential that a new agency with an expanded remit be established;

—congratulates the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, on the decision to establish a new statutory national consumer agency to promote and protect consumer interests;

—maintains that the new agency will ensure for the first time that the interests of consumers will be brought to the forefront of national and local decision making in Ireland;

—supports the establishment of the board of the new national consumer agency on an interim basis until such time as the necessary legislation can be enacted to establish the agency on a statutory footing;

—believes the new agency will act as a forceful advocate for the consumer and that it will have the necessary powers, functions and support to challenge vested interests and to ensure that the consumers voice is heard;

—notes the comprehensive nature of the entire consumer strategy group report which contains over 30 separate recommendations and welcomes the decision to establish a high level interdepartmental committee to examine all the group's recommendations and to report back to Government with a detailed implementation plan within three months;

—supports the decision of the Minister to engage in a public consultation process on the future of the groceries order and notes that process is expected to be completed within two months;

—and urges the Minister to continue to bring forward initiatives in the area of consumer awareness, advocacy and education which will help to demonstrate to consumers that further progress can be achieved.

With the permission of the Acting Chairman I will allow the Minister make his contribution.