Minister Martin announces the resignation of the Director of Consumer Affairs, Carmel Foley

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Michėal Martin TD to-day (Friday 10^th February 2006) announced that the current Director of Consumer Affairs, Carmel Foley, intended to resign her post with effect from 10th February, 2006 to take up a position as a member of the new Garda Ombudsman Commission. The Minister paid full tribute to Ms. Foley for the professional and dedicated manner in which she carried out her role as Director of Consumer Affairs over the past seven years. The Minister stated that during her period of office the Director has consistently argued the consumer’s case in areas as diverse as financial services, the retail and licensed trade, package holidays and a whole variety of other sectors, which impact on the day to day lives of consumers. In particular, the Minister noted that the Director’s Office had played a very important role in providing assistance to consumers in the changeover to the Euro.

“I am sure that the Director’s experience in serving the consumer’s and the public’s interest would be a tremendous asset to the Garda Ombudsman Commission in carrying out its important work”, the Minister said.

The Minister stated that the position of Director would be filled immediately in an interim capacity to ensure that the enforcement of consumer protection law can continue pending the reorganisation of the functions of that office within the new National Consumer Agency.

In concluding the Minister said the coming months would herald further significant developments in consumer policy. The Minister stated that the Government was determined to ensure that consumer protection would remain in the forefront of the national agenda.

ENDS

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