Vol. 510 No. 2
60 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 119 of 26 May 1998, the plans, if any, she has to place restrictions on the sale of soft PVC toys containing phthalates before the Christmas shopping season begins; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22022/99]
I am informed that the Director of Consumer Affairs, who has the statutory responsibility in relation to the safety of products placed on the market under the European Communities (General Product Safety) Regulations, 1997, has no immediate plans to consider making a proposal to restrict the sale of these goods until discussions at European Union level, at which Ireland is an active participant, are further developed.
At the last meeting of the Emergencies Committee of the Product Safety Directive 92/59 on the 14 September last, it was decided that the European Commission would consider all the issues relating to child care articles and toys intended to be placed in the mouth by young children of less than three years of age and made of soft PVC containing certain phthalates. European Commission involvement was considered necessary in view of the lack of a standardised testing approach by individual member states.
I understand that the European Union's Scientific Committee on Toxicity and Ecotoxicity and the Environment recently issued a report to the European Commission and it is expected that these findings will be discussed at the next meeting of the Emergencies Committee of the Product Safety Directive 92/59 scheduled for December. I understand that the Director of Consumer Affairs will be represented at that meeting and will consider whatever action is appropriate in the light of these discussions.
