Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 86: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action that she is taking 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [7281/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Price display law is covered by Orders made under 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.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she is taking to implement the commitment in the programme for Government that steps would be taken to ensure that consumer codes of conduct are published by businesses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7283/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Consumer Protection Act 2007, which commenced in May 2007, empowers the National Consumer Agency to prepare and publish Guidelines to traders in relation to matters of consumer welfare and protection and matters related to commercial practices. The Consumer Protection Act 2007 also empowers the Agency to review or approve Codes of Practice submitted to it by traders or their trade associations where the Agency is satisfied that the Code of Practice protects consumer interests.

The National Consumer Agency is currently giving priority to producing Guidelines for business in a number of areas In September 2008, the Agency published a consultation document on Guidelines on Advertising of Price Discounts and Related Matters. The Guidelines are intended to facilitate the retail sector in complying with the requirements of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 in relation to a variety of trading practices. They will help traders to better appreciate their obligations to provide unambiguous information to consumers, give clarity on certain aspects of the Act and provide a basis for a fairer and more evenly balanced approach towards advertising throughout the sector. I understand that the Agency is close to finalizing the Guidelines and that it intends to publish them in the coming months.

In October 2008, the National Consumer Agency published Guidelines for the Leisure and Fitness Sector. The Guidelines are intended to help the sector to draw up clearer and fairer terms and conditions in consumer contracts. In tandem with the Guidelines, the Agency also published Seven Principles for the sector. These Principles, which are non-binding, are essentially a best practice guide for leisure clubs in the context of their contractual commitments to consumers.

I very much support the Agency's initiatives in engaging constructively with businesses through the promotion of robust Codes of Practices. I understand that over time the Agency intends to further its activities in this area to cover other aspects of business activity. I am confident that initiatives of this nature will help to foster a more robust consumer culture which will be to the benefit of not only consumers but also businesses and indeed the economy as a whole.