Michael Noonan
Ceist:112 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, arising from the regulations regarding fire retardant upholstery fabrics, which came into force on 1 March 1990, he will clarify the following matters: (a) if he intends issuing specific guidelines to the industry, (b) if he intends publishing the new regulations in the national newspapers to inform the public of the availability of safer fabrics, (c) if existing stocks of upholstery fabrics, bought by retailers before 1 March 1990 may still be sold for the purposes of covering new and old furniture and (d) if the new regulations apply to upholsterers in circumstances where a customer supplies his or her own fabric to cover his or her own furniture, even though the cloth does not comply with the new regulations; the measures he intends taking to enforce the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.