Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

These amendments involve changes to various provisions in Part 2 dealing with the National Consumer Agency. Amendments Nos. 5 and 48 involve new provisions dealing with the agency's role in promoting quality assurance schemes. They arose from an amendment proposed by Senator Coghlan that had merit and that the Minister, Deputy Martin, undertook to consider.

Amendments Nos. 6 and 7 concern the position of the chief executive of the agency. Amendment No. 6 provides that, notwithstanding the restrictions of section 14(8), persons who cease to be the chief executive officer are not precluded from holding employment with or acting as consultants to public bodies, Ministers or Departments. Amendment No. 7 sets out the basis on which the chief executive officer will give evidence before committees of the Oireachtas. It provides that the chief executive officer will, when requested, give evidence before such committees, the business of which includes the examination of consumer protection policy, in respect of the general activities of the agency.

Amendments Nos. 20 and 21 remove the restriction that records, documents, etc. obtained by authorised officers in exercise of their powers under section 30 may only be retained for six months. Similar restrictions in the legislation governing the activities of the Competition Authority and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement have caused difficulties to both organisations and it was not considered prudent to include them in this Bill.