Strengthened Government Commitment to Consumers - Kitt

Mr. Tom Kitt, T.D., Minister of Consumer Affairs today (Friday, 2nd October 1998) in conjunction with EU Commissioner Emma Bonino, convened a major Forum on consumers and the Amsterdam Treaty.

Speaking at the Forum, attended by industry and consumer representatives as well as regional, national and European authorities and elected representatives, Minister Kitt said "For far too long we in Ireland, and in Europe, have taken on an à la carte approach to consumer issues. This problem has been across a range of fronts - inadequate legislation, lack of consumer awareness and organisation, poor enforcement and absence of an integrated approach to protecting our consumers."

"The Amsterdam Treaty is an important advance in enshrining the interests of the EU's consumers in Europe's fundamental law in a most comprehensive way. The across the board integrated approach favoured in the Treaty will give added impetus to pursuing a more effective consumer regime in Ireland," Minister Kitt said.

Moreover the Minister warned "The Treaty will rightly give EU Ministers more clout in forging ahead with consumer protection measures." "We are currently in the process of selecting a new Director of Consumer Affairs and expect to have a candidate selected by the end of this month. This appointment, coupled with strengthened Government resolve will mean a better deal for consumers."

Minister Kitt spelt out the Government's commitment to improve the position of Irish consumers, in particular, through

• the highest level of safeguards to protect the health and safety of consumers, particularly in the area of food by adequate traceability methods, effective supervision of all stages of the food chain and comprehensive, informative and simple labelling, which is required now more than ever with the entry into the market of novel foods,
• more effective enforcement of existing and new consumer legislation,
• adding to the existing range of protections for consumers of financial services, and
• ensuring that consumers are not exploited during the changeover to the euro.