Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made to date with regard to the implementation of the report of the Consumer Strategy Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18068/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As I advised the House previously the Consumer Strategy Group Report "Make Consumers Count" was published in May 2005, and to date considerable progress has been made in progressing the Report's recommendations.

The Report's core recommendation that a new National Consumer Agency, incorporating the existing Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs, be established was fully accepted by the Government. In this regard, I hope to publish the legislation establishing the new Agency later this year and to have the NCA up and running early in 2007.

In the interim until the new Agency is formally established, I appointed a Board to the NCA in June 2005 to act in an interim capacity. The Interim Board has been very active in advocating the consumer's cause and raising the awareness of consumer rights. The Interim Board will continue and intensify its activities throughout the course of 2006. The Interim Board will also have a key role in preparing the way for the fully operational Agency itself.

The abolition of the Groceries Order, which was the other significant recommendation in the Consumer Strategy Group Report, was effectively implemented with the commencement of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2006 on 20 March 2006. The new Act in addition to abolishing the Groceries Order also strengthens the provisions of the 2002 Competition Act by specifically prohibiting the fixing of minimum retail prices by suppliers, unfair discrimination in the grocery trade and the payment of advertising allowances and "hello money".

As regards the other recommendations of the CSG, and in particular those recommendations relating to my own Department, a number of these have already been implemented. The Investment Funds Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2005 significantly increased the fines for breaching consumer protection laws as recommended by the CSG. In addition the Bill establishing the National Consumer Agency will also update and amend a significant number of existing statues within the existing framework of consumer law so as to meet the needs of the modern consumer, which was also recommended by the CSG.

In total the CSG Report contains over 30 separate recommendations which were directed at various Government Departments and Agencies whose activities directly impact upon the interests of consumers. A High Level Inter-Departmental Committee was established, with the approval of the Government, to examine and prepare a detailed plan for the implementation of the recommendations. The Committee's Report, which was endorsed by the Government, was recently published on my Department's website.

I am satisfied that in the twelve months since the publication of the CSG Report considerable progress has been made in progressing the Group's recommendations. I am confident that this progress will continue and that the implementation of these recommendations will help to ensure that the deficits identified by the Consumer Strategy Group are addressed.