Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

There have been, rightly, many calls in this House in recent weeks for a debate on the level of retail pricing in Ireland because consumers feel ripped off. The debate was moved forward constructively yesterday, in terms of informing politicians of what is happening, by contributions made elsewhere on actions taken by the National Consumer Agency. In light of this further information I again ask the Leader to arrange a debate on this subject in the near future.

It is important that three points be covered in any debate that is organised. First, the response of some agencies to this matter is to call on consumers to shop around but the big issue we face in Ireland is not the difference in prices between supermarkets but the difference between levels of pricing in Ireland and outside Ireland. Calling on consumers to shop around misses the point and will not provide an adequate response to this matter.

Second, more and more people refer to the fact that prices in corner stores and similar outlets are high compared with other stores. It would be viciously ironic if those who paid the price for whatever happens in the future were the retailers in the small, independent, indigenous sector in Ireland. By and large, they do not contribute to the issues we face and we must have balance in recognising their needs.

The third and final point relates to the role of manufacturers in Ireland. The level of profits created by multinational manufacturers in Ireland, due to changes in the euro's exchange rate, has gone through the roof in recent years. Ensuring those profits are reinvested to deliver good value pricing in Ireland is probably the biggest thing any agency or Government could do to see that this issue is properly addressed. When the pressure is on and the cost of living is increasing exponentially, a more forensic analysis of what is happening and a more detailed response to the issue are necessary. I am concerned that some of these issues are being ignored at the moment and a debate could allow us to air them properly.