andMr. Kyne asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, further to a reply of 19th June in which he stated that an order relating to the advertising of goods for sale on hire-purchase terms, which came into force on 1st April this year, ensured that intending purchasers were fully informed beforehand of the extent of their commitments, he will describe the means used by his Department to ensure that this order is complied with by all traders; whether any cases of traders who did not comply with the order have come to light, and, if so, how many; and whether any trader has yet been prosecuted for non-compliance with the order.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Compliance with Hire Purchase Order.
29.
Enforcement of the Order will be attended to in the normal way by my Department, mainly by having inspections carried out by authorised officers. Complaints from members of the public will, of course, be investigated also. No trader has yet been prosecuted for non-compliance but a recent survey has shown that a number of traders have not yet adjusted their advertising material to comply with the Order. If they persist in their default, proceedings will be taken against them and action will also be taken in any future cases of contravention of the Order.
Is the Minister aware that when a member of the trade did complain to his Department, the reply he got was: "What do you expect us to do—take a hammer to them?" Would the Minister consider that a proper way of dealing with complaints?
In the absence of proof, I would not accept that.
The proof will be sent to the Minister.
Inspections have been carried out and prosecutions will take place, if necessary, after a reasonable time.