Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 12 May 1999

Vol. 504 No. 5

Written Answers. - Consumer Awareness.

David Stanton

Ceist:

96 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on the work of the Consumer Education Development Committee and the progress of the project, Teaching the Consumer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12450/99]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. T. Kitt)

The Consumer Education Development Committee was established by the then Minister for Labour in June 1992. The original objective of the committee was to develop a pilot programme for adult learners aimed at raising consumer awareness. Members of the committee include representatives from the office of the Director of Consumer Affairs, the Consumers Association of Ireland, the Department of Education and Science, the vocational education committees of Offaly and Tipperary North Riding and the curriculum development unit of the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee.

In 1993, the committee prepared a ten-unit study pack called Consumer Action containing consumer education materials. Consumer Action was piloted in five centres for unemployed and marginalised people during 1993. In 1994, the study pack was expanded to 20 units and piloted in four adult education centres and six post-primary schools. Encouraged by this success, the committee commissioned a report on consumer education in Ireland and the results of this were produced in a report in November 1997 entitled Towards a Critical Awareness of the Marketplace.

The committee is currently working on a new project titled Teaching the Consumer. The project is designed – through the use of CD-ROM and other education materials – to increase awareness of students and teachers at primary and secondary school level on a wide range of consumer issues. As part of the project, a working seminar was held in February 1999, which was attended by over 30 participants and was designed to give the partners to the project, referred to in my reply to the Deputy's question – No. 138 – on 16 February 1999, and other interested parties an opportunity to view and evaluate the draft materials being produced.

In March 1999, a conference on the project was attended by close to 60 participants from primary, post-primary, further adult and community education interests. Two keynote speakers addressed the conference and workshops organised on the day focused on the importance of experiential learning in increasing critical consumer awareness. An editorial board has now been appointed with the task of producing a CD-ROM for the project and written materials are being sent to a number of pilot centres for evaluation and feedback. The project is scheduled to run from 1 September 1998 to 31 August 1999.

Through the students and the providers of the materials it is expected that the information will extend outwards to a larger group of consumers, especially those in the disadvantaged and marginalised groups. The materials will be used in the national network of adult and youth education centres.