Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Anything to do with the consumer is important because the bottom line is the consumer has not had a voice for years. Ireland has developed a reputation for a rip-off culture and for overcharging. This has resulted from a buoyant economy and the significant amount of disposable income available to people. The standard of living has increased, wages are high but transport costs are extraordinarily high. One can analyse the overcharging to death and provide reasons but, at the end of the day, the consumer does not have a voice. The consumer strategy group report proposes the establishment of the national consumer agency to give power to the consumer.