Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the work of his Department's consumer policy section for 2006; the number of staff employed in this section; the staffing costs to his Department of this section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2554/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The work of the Consumer Policy Section of my Department in 2006 will be reported on in detail in my Department's 2006 Annual Report. The main highlights of the Section's work in the year related to the implementation and follow on of the Report of the Consumer Strategy Group.

In this regard, the Report of the High Level Inter-Departmental Committee established to examine the implementation of the recommendations of the Consumer Strategy Group was published in February 2006. The approval of the Government was received to draft the general scheme of a Bill to establish the new National Consumer Agency as recommended by the CSG. The general scheme was approved by the Government and duly published in August 2006 together with a detailed regulatory analysis of the proposed legislation. The Consumer Policy Section also conducted a public consultation process in relation to the general scheme.

The Consumer Policy Section subsequently worked in conjunction with the Parliamentary Counsel's Office in drafting the legal text of the Bill. The Consumer Protection Bill as approved by the Government will be published in the next few days. The Bill will be introduced in Seanad Éireann next week. I am hopeful that it can be enacted shortly thereafter.

The publication of the Consumer Protection Bill represents the first phase of a root and branch review of national consumer law. Consumer Policy Section commenced work on the second phase in the Autumn of 2006. This phase will include a review of the law governing consumer contracts including the Sale of Goods and Services Act 1980 and will also involve a review of all secondary legislation including regulations requiring the display of prices by traders.

In addition to the foregoing legislative activity, the Consumer Policy Section continued to provide support to the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs, the European Consumer Centre, the Interim Board of the National Consumer Agency and the Assay Office whose premises at Dublin Castle are currently undergoing a major redevelopment. Consumer Policy Section also represented Ireland on various committees/bodies in relation to Consumer Protection both at EU and national level.

In line with the recommendation of the Consumer Strategy Group, additional resources have been allocated to the Consumer Policy Section. A total of 10 staff are now employed in the Section and the cost to the Department of those staff came to approximately €410,000 last year. I am determined that the Consumer Policy Section will continue to receive the necessary resources to enable to carry out its important work of delivering a modern and effective national consumer policy.