Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 72: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action being taken to implement the commitment in the programme for Government that steps would 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. [16571/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 require 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 Commission will be reviewing the Directive upon which these Regulations are based and I will support measures to enhance the information to be made available to consumers. This review is part of the general review of the Consumer Acquis.

The National Consumer Agency whose function it is to enforce consumer laws, regularly undertakes surveillance with a view to securing voluntary compliance on the part of traders.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 76: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of on-the-spot fines for breaches of consumer law imposed to date under the terms of the Consumer Protection (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2007; the type of breaches in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16572/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Consumer Protection (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 689 of 2007) came into effect on 13 October 2007. Responsibility for the enforcement of these Regulations is a matter for the National Consumer Agency and I have no direct function in the matter. I am informed that, to date, authorised officers of the National Consumer Agency have served twelve fixed payment notices. Eleven of the notices were in respect of alleged offences under the European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002 (S.I. No. 639 of 2002) and one was in respect of an alleged offence under the Retail Price (Beverages in Licensed Premises) Display Order 1999 (S.I. No. 263 of 1999).

The twenty-eight day period within which a person served with a fixed payment notice may make the stipulated payment to the National Consumer Agency has yet to elapse in the case of four of the notices served to date. Of the remaining eight cases, payment was made in accordance with the terms of the notice in five cases, the National Consumer Agency is initiating a prosecution in one case and, on legal advice, is not proceeding with a prosecution in two cases.