Minister publishes Report of the High Level Inter-departmental Committee established to examine the implementation of the recommendations of the Consumer Strategy Group

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Micheál Martin has to-day (Thursday 2^nd February 2006) published the Report of the High Level Inter-departmental Committee which was established to examine the implementation of the recommendations of the Consumer Strategy Group.

The Minister in welcoming the publication of the Committee’s Report noted that the Committee included representatives from most Government Departments which he said demonstrated the keen interest in consumer welfare matters right across the public service.

The Minister welcomed the fact that the Committee in its conclusions had essentially endorsed the recommendations of the Consumer Strategy Group. “This endorsement clearly showed the support within Government Departments for the need to redress the balance more towards consumers as recommended by the Consumer Strategy Group” said the Minister.

The Minister noted that since the Committee had completed its work there had been developments in relation to a number of the CSG’s recommendations. Specifically he felt that the recent Transport 21 initiative was particularly significant given the importance of transport to the day-to-day lives of consumers as recognised by the CSG.

He also wished to acknowledge the considerable work undertaken by Comhairle in developing a Consumer Information Portal, which when fully developed by the National Consumer Agency (NCA) would be a very valuable information resource for consumers.

The Minister said his Department was fully committed to progressing the consumer agenda. He pointed out that a number of significant recommendations proposed by the Consumer Strategy Group in relation to his Department had already been accepted and were currently being implemented, in particular, the legislation already published and currently going through the Oireachtas to abolish the Groceries Order. In June of last year he appointed a Board to the NCA to act in an Interim capacity until the new Agency is formally established. The Board had been very active in publicly advocating the consumer’s cause.

In conclusion the Minister noted that the publication of the Report of the High Level Inter-Departmental Committee represented further progress in terms of implementing the recommendations of the Consumer Strategy Group and shifting the balance of power more towards consumers. The Minister said that it was his firm intention to ensure that this progress would continue throughout the coming year.

A copy of the report is available at: