Last summer I launched an action plan 2000-2001 to protect consumers as far as possible against unwarranted price rises during the changeover to the euro which is being implemented by the Director of Consumer Affairs. Needless to say, the secretariat of the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland was consulted when the action plan was being prepared.
A key action under the plan relates to the dual display of prices: A special logo to be associated with adherence to either the national code or approved sectoral codes of practice on dual pricing, will be available from the Director of Consumer Affairs; display of the logo means that the businesses concerned are publicly committed to carrying out the changeover fairly without seeking any advantage from the conversion; consumers should be able to feel confident that they will not be overcharged for goods or services where they see the logo on display; and the Director of Consumer Affairs has written to more than 200 trade associations inviting them to sign up to the national code or to draw up a sectoral code of their own and seek the director's approval for it. In addition, the director's office is in the process of responding to close on 100 applications from potential individual subscribers to the national code. To date, the director has approved three sectoral codes, submitted to her by IBEC-EAN, the Irish Petroleum Industry Association, and the Irish branch of the Booksellers Association of Great Britain and Ireland. A further three proposed sectoral codes are currently under active examination by the director.
The Deputy may be interested to know that consumers can contact the Director of Consumer Affairs with queries or complaints they may have on the euro at www.odcaeuroinfo@entemp.ie.