Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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25. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of the recent threats by residential waste management companies to increase waste removal prices due to the loss of profits; if he is considering price controls or other measures to mitigate further increases in the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30465/24]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I have responsibility for consumer protection law. In recent years my Department has made significant improvements in consumer protection legislation. The Consumer Rights Act 2022 represents the most significant reform of consumer protection law in Ireland in the last 40 years. It updates and strengthens existing Irish consumer law relating to the sale of goods and supply of services, unfair contract terms and consumer information and cancellation rights. The Representative Actions Act is the first legislation of its kind in Ireland as it allows for a group of consumers to take an action against a trader to the High Court for an infringement of their consumer rights.

Under consumer protection law, before a consumer signs up to a contract with a waste operator, they must be provided with certain information. This includes the total price of the service or the method of calculating the price (for example by weight) and the duration of the contract, or if it is ongoing, how a consumer can cancel their contract.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the independent statutory body that enforces competition and consumer law under the remit of my Department, is responsible for ensuring that prices are set independently by competing businesses. They carry out this function by enforcing laws that mean there is competitive pressure on businesses to set prices at a level that will attract customers.

The CCPC continues to promote and monitor compliance with competition and consumer protection laws across all sectors of the market. Where appropriate, the CCPC investigates suspected breaches of competition or consumer protection law and takes enforcement action if the investigation uncovers sufficient evidence of a breach. Promoting a competitive marketplace is clearly beneficial for consumers.

At present traders in Ireland are generally free to set and change their own prices for goods and services once they do so independently and in line with consumer protection law.

On the question of price controls, price controls are a blunt instrument that can result in a number of unintended consequences. They can create uncertainty for anyone looking to set up a business in Ireland that they may not have the freedom to set their own prices. Over time this uncertainty could reduce the level of investment in Ireland and indeed increase the cost. This could in turn, result in increased prices and reduced choice to the detriment of consumers in Ireland.

I am committed to continuing to strengthen the landscape for consumers and, as part of that, this Government has continued to invest significant additional resources into the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to enable it to best carry out its functions to protect consumers and raise awareness.