Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason for the exclusion of the Consumer Association of Ireland for membership of the interim board of the National Consumer Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23379/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The core recommendation in the report of the Consumer Strategy Group, which was published on 18 May 2005, is that a new national consumer agency be established. This recommendation has been accepted in principle by the Government. The establishment of the new agency will require primary legislation and my Department has already commenced preparatory work on this matter. In order to maintain the momentum of the CSG's report, earlier this month I appointed a board to the new agency to act in an interim capacity until the agency is established on a statutory footing. I am satisfied that the membership of the interim board is sufficiently representative, balanced and experienced to carry out its important work preparing for the advent of the fully fledged national consumer agency so as to ensure that the agency can hit the ground running once it is formally established by statute. Notwithstanding that the Consumers' Association of Ireland may not be formally represented on the interim board, my Department fully acknowledges and supports the valuable work carried out by the association. For the past number of years, my Department has allocated funding to the association to assist it in carrying out its work. In addition, I fully agree with the Consumer Strategy Group that the interim board and indeed the agency should work closely with State and non-State agencies such as the Consumers' Association of Ireland.