Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 2

Written Answers. - Consumer Advice Centre.

Seán Ryan

Question:

98 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on the operation of the consumer advice centre in O'Connell Street and at other locations; and the resources including funding provided to the centres. [14841/99]

The European Consumer Centre, formerly known as the European Consumer Information Centre, a project co-funded by the Director of Consumer Affairs and DG XXIV of the European Commission, completed its second year of operation in 1998. Located in O'Connell Street, Dublin, the centre is a resource for information on cross-Border consumer protection matters. It is part of a network of ten European consumer offices, known as Euroguichets, based in seven member states, which aim to convey the benefits of the single market to all EU citizens.

The centre has a staff complement of six, including a manager, two expert consumer advisers, who are available to provide on-the-spot information to the public about their rights as consumers, a lawyer/litigation adviser, who is also available to provide back-up advice for consumers with specific queries, an information officer and an office administrator.

The centre provides information and advice in consumer rights, and developments in consumer legislation; a litigation advisory service to members of the public who are involved in actions in the Small Claims Court, and a cross-Border consumer advice.

The centre disseminates information material on the euro issued by my Department, including the Code of Practice on Dual Pricing which I launched on 9 June last, the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland, the European Commission and the Consumers' Association of Ireland.
The centre has a comprehensive documentation centre on Irish and EU legislation, which is expanding on an ongoing basis. In that regard, the centre liaises closely with my Department and the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs.
The centre dealt with 5,188 inquiries in 1998. This amounted to more than a 100 per cent increase on the figures for 1997. In the last two months of 1998, 22 per cent of all queries related to the euro – the centre is scheduled to publish a booklet on the euro at the end of this month. A breakdown of all queries in 1998 and 1999 to date is set out in the following Appendix.
I had the pleasure of launching the centre's website – http://www.ecic.ie – on 22 April 1999. The website sets out in a user-friendly way guidelines on the legislation in place to protect consumers as well as outlining the services provided by the centre, which are available free of charge to the public.
At the end of 1998, the ECC became an independent entity with, however, the joint funding of both the director and DGXXIV as its only sources of operational income. The total cost of running the centre in 1998 was £178,359 of which the director's contribution was 50 per cent. For 1999, the projected budget is £242,908, of which the director's contribution will again be 50 per cent.
APPENDIX
A breakdown of percentages of queries in 1998 referenced by subject matter is as follows.

Electrical

15.7 per cent

Textiles

10.2 per cent

Furniture

10.1 per cent

Holidays

9.21 per cent

Cars

8.71 per cent

Euro

7.91 per cent

Litigation-claims

3.2 per cent

Price inquiries

2.4 per cent

Food

2.4 per cent

Jewellery

2.0 per cent

Insurance

1.4 per cent

Credit

0.6 per cent

Financial services

1.2 per cent

Timeshare

0.2 per cent

VAT-taxes

0.2 per cent

Others

24.6 per cent

Total

100.0 per cent

A breakdown of percentages of queries in 1999 (January-May) referenced by subject matter is set out below.

Textiles

9. per cent

Euro

9.6 per cent

Electrical

9.5 per cent

Cars

8.8 per cent

Furniture

4.2 per cent

Travel

3.9 per cent

Food

3.1 per cent

Insurance

1.8 per cent

Pricing

1.6 per cent

Jewellery

1.3 per cent

Financial services

1.2 per cent

Credit

1.1 per cent

Cross Border

0.8 per cent

Time share

0.3 per cent

VAT-taxes

0.1 per cent

Distance selling

1.0 per cent

Other

41.8 per cent

Total

100.0 per cent

Top
Share