Vol. 546 No. 5
61 Mr. Shatter asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made to date in calibrating taxi meters in the Carriage Office to provide taxi fares in euro as and from 1 January 2002; and if all taxi meters will be converted as required by law by the end of 2001. [32228/01]
Calibration of taximeters is undertaken by private installation companies who supply and repair taximeters to the trade. Calibration is the process whereby meters are programmed or adjusted to measure time and distance accurately and to calculate the fare payable in accordance with fare structures approved by local authorities. In accordance with the Metrology Act, 1996, operators of taximeters must ensure meters conform to the requirements of the Act. Verification of taximeters is undertaken by the legal metrology service, LMS, upon request by taxi operators. Verification entails checking the accuracy of meters, including the forthcoming conversion of meters to euro.
62 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she is satisfied that the forthcoming introduction of the euro is not being used as a means to support price hikes; if action has been or can be taken against abuses of this nature; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29986/01]
The introduction of the euro should not, of itself, require any trader to increase prices. Of course, it is open to any business to increase their prices if they want to do so and changes in prices do occur for various reasons and at different times during the trading year. Successive Governments have recognised that the encouragement of a competitive environment and promotion of greater price awareness is a far better way of ensuring value for money for consumers than the imposition of price control legislation which would require that all price adjustments for all products be approved in advance. The introduction of the euro does not change this fact.
I believe that the vast majority of traders want to behave honourably and fairly during the changeover to the euro. Some unscrupulous traders may seek to use the introduction of the euro as an opportunity to introduce unwarranted price increases. However, the retail market, in particular, is highly competitive and at the end of the day I believe that the market will punish those who seek to take advantage of the changeover in this way. Consumers need to realise the power that they themselves have if they feel they are not being treated fairly, and that is simply to take their business elsewhere.
