Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action being taken to implement the commitment in the Programme for Government that steps will be taken to ensure that prices of goods are labelled and transparent in order that the consumer is well informed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25387/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Price display law is covered by Orders made under Section 19 of the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 and under the European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument No. 639 of 2002. The various Price Display Orders made under the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 cover Drinks Display in Licensed Premises, Hairdressing Services, Petrol and Diesel and Restaurants. The European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002 requires retailers to display the selling and where appropriate the unit price (the price per litre or kilo) for all products covered by the scope of the Regulations.

The National Consumer Agency whose function it is to enforce consumer laws, regularly undertakes surveillance exercises and enforcement proceedings in the Courts when necessary.

My aim is to review and improve price display law when required. With this in mind in July 2007, my Department published a consultation paper on the Consumer Information (Advertisements for Concert or Theatre Performances) Order 1997 which contained proposals designed to broaden the scope and enhance the transparency of the price information provided to consumers about concerts, theatrical performances and other events. Follow-up meetings have been held with a wide range of interested parties and I hope to be in a position to introduce new Regulations in this area before the end of the year.

It was my intention to undertake a similar review of the Consumer Information (Advertisements for Airfares) Order 2000. As a proposed European Union Regulation on Air Transport Services contains specific provisions on price transparency for airfares, there was little point in amending domestic legislation in this area prior to, or independently of, the adoption of new Community rules.