Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the response of his Department to each individual recommendation in respect of the recommendations contained within the Consumer Strategy Group report directed to his Department; if the recommendations have as of today been implemented in full, in part, or not at all; if, of those recommendations which have not been implemented to date, he will implement them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42255/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the recommendations in the Consumer Strategy Group Report which are directed specifically to my Department concern the sale of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and consumer legislation and enforcement, particularly in relation to the small claims procedure in the District Court. As regards the sale of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, I am pleased to report that the Government Legislative Programme provides for the publication of the Sale of Alcohol Bill during the current session. The Bill will modernise and streamline all the laws relating to the sale and consumption of alcohol by repealing the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2008, as well as the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2008, and replacing them with updated and streamlined provisions.

In relation to consumer legislation and enforcement, in October 2005, following consultations between my Department and the Courts Service, the maximum award limit under the small claims procedure in the District Court was increased to €2,000. In setting that maximum award limit, regard had to be given to the general jurisdictional limits of the District Court but I can inform the Deputy that a further review of the limits applying will be conducted in 2009. In addition to increasing the maximum award limit, the Small Claims Court has introduced an on-line claim application procedure. This system was initially piloted in the Dublin Metropolitan District Court and Cavan District Court and has now been rolled-out to all District Courts. It provides an enhanced claims procedure and allows for 24 hour access by consumers.

I am sure the Deputy will agree that the Small Claims Procedure in the District Court provides a cost effective and extremely efficient claims procedure for consumers. In terms of output, in 2007, a total of 3,734 applications were received by the District Courts. This level of applications represents a 25% increase over application levels in 2006 and I believe that it is indicative of the confidence which consumers continue have in the Small Claims Procedure.