Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 60:

In page 54, subsection (4)(i), line 30, after ?matters.? to insert the following:"These shall include representatives of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency.".

This is an attempt to have the consumer listened to in the debate in order that successful economic policies cannot be overturned by people who do not want competition or by committees heavily biased in favour of extra bureaucracy and incumbents at the expense of competition. It is necessary for the Competition Authority to take an interest in the area and I am disappointed it has not heretofore. The consumer must be professionally represented because the last time a former chair of the Consumer Association of Ireland was meant to be the consumers' representative, he was heavily outnumbered. That has happened and it will continue with this Bill. It has the producers' fingerprints all over it from beginning to end. With this section, I am trying to achieve, belatedly, some say for the consumer in what is going on.