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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Nov 1987

Vol. 375 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Staffing Levels.

48.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of staff employed in the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs and in the Office of the Examiner of Restrictive Practices for 1985, 1986 and 1987; the proposed number of staff in the fully amalgamated office incorporating both functions; and if he will ensure that there will be proper enforcement of the relevant legislation by providing adequate staff.

Details of the staff employed in the office of the Director of Consumer Affairs and the office of the Examiner of Restrictive Practices at the beginning of each of the years in question and at present are as follows:

Year

Office of Director of Consumer Affairs

Office of Examiner of Restrictive Practices

Total

1 January 1985

11

6

17

1 January 1986

11

6

17

1 January 1987

19

6

25

17 November 1987

20

6

26

The increase in the resources available to the combined offices of director and examiner is reflected in the financial allocation to these offices; the allocation for the current year, 1987, is £385,000 as against an outturn of £253,000 in 1986 and the estimate for 1988 is £390,000.

When the Restrictive Practices (Amendment) Bill, which is currently before this House, is enacted, the post of examiner will be abolished and his functions transferred to the retitled Director of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trade. The offices of the examiner and director will be amalgamated and will have a combined staff of 26 as in the tabular statement. This amalgamation is expected to result in greater overall efficiency and is intended to ensure the integrated administration of related policy measures.

I am satisfied that the amalgamated staff, which includes a corps of inspectors will be sufficient to ensure the proper enforcement of the legislation.

Will the increase in staff from 11 to 19 in the office of the Director of Consumer Affairs include price line inspectors and inspectors operating from both offices? Is the Minister aware of the new responsibilities which have been assigned to this office, namely, food labelling, textile labelling, product safety, a whole new area of responsibility with competition policy related to statutory bodies, financial services and grocery orders? Would he not agree that provision has not been made to deal with these matters? This is the age old Irish solution where we bring in a law which cannot be enforced because there are no resources.

I could not accept what the Deputy said. Naturally, every Department and every section in every Department would be delighted to have more staff. The Deputy is only too well aware of the need to curtail public expenditure. I want to draw his attention to the fact that the staff of these two offices have been shielded form the staff embargo in the last few years. It is not true that they are not being given enough staff to carry out the job. The whole idea of bringing these two offices together under the Director of Consumer Affairs is greater efficiency and the more efficent administration of the legislation. I am satisfied they have the resources to do the job. It is quite clear from the figures that they have been shielded and have not suffered despite the fact that overall staffing in the Department of Industry and Commerce has been reduced by 15 per cent.

Is the Minister aware that in the past month one member of the staff took a career break and an embargo was put on filling the post? In view of that, will the Minister not consider redeploying some of his staff out of the administrative structures of his Department to ensure that all these areas of competition and consumer policy are properly enforced and implemented? Will he give a commitment to the House that he will consider such redeployment in 1988?

I am well aware that a member of the staff recently took a career break. I should like to draw the Deputy's attention to the fact that earlier two additional staff were taken on. I will certainly keep the situation under review but I have already stated that the administrative staff of the Department have been reduced by 15 per cent which does not leave much room for manoeuvre. However, the Department is run in a very efficient and competent manner and if any resources can be used to better effect I assure the House that will be done.

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