Máirín Quill
Question:17 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the plans, if any, he has for the establishment of an office for the Director of Consumer Affairs in Cork. [9957/96]
Written Answers. - Office of Director of Consumer Affairs.
I am informed that the Director of Consumer Affairs intends to open an office in Cork during the second half of the year. I have succeeded in securing funding for the office in my Department's Estimate for 1996.
The office shall be located in a ground floor of a premises on the South Mail. A lease for the premises was agreed between the Office of Public Works, which is acting on behalf of the Director, and the landlord two weeks ago. Occupation of the building cannot take place until 1 July at the earliest, when it will be then necessary to construct a ramp to allow for and enable wheelchair access.
I am hopeful that arrangements can be made soon to implement the sanction I secured from the Government for the additional staffing of the office of the Director, including the complement required for Cork, in connection with the enforcement of the Consumer Credit Act, 1995.
The Director's main functions under the Act which entered into force on 13 May are: to regulate and to monitor the activities of all persons offering consumer credit or arranging such credit; to seek redress in the courts for breaches of the legislation; to direct lenders to withdraw or modify credit advertisements; to provide advice, guidance and information to consumers on their rights under, and on the workings of the Consumer Credit Act; to license moneylenders; to authorise persons to act as credit intermediaries or mortgage intermediaries; to investigate information given on the credit status of consumers; and to curtail and regulate bank customer charges.
The proposed Cork office shall of course provide advice and assistance to consumers on the wide-range of other consumer protection legislation enforced by the Director.