Billy Kelleher
Ceist:294. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the consumer rights Bill in view of the fact that the heads of a Bill were published in 2015. [52820/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 18 December 2018
Ceisteanna (294)
Freagraí scríofa
As indicated in replies to a number of previous questions on this subject, progress on the Scheme of the Consumer Rights Bill which issued for public consultation in May 2015 had to be paused because of the publication later that year of two European Union legislative proposals on consumer contracts for the supply of digital content and the sales of goods which overlapped very substantially with two of the four main parts of the Scheme. The view was taken that there was little point in introducing legislation in the Oireachtas in 2016 if large parts of that legislation would have to be repealed or substantially amended within a relatively short time after its enactment. In my view, this outcome would not have been in the interests of either consumers or businesses.
Regrettably, progress on the EU legislative proposals has been slower than originally anticipated. While the Justice and Home Affairs Council agreed a general approach on the digital content proposal in June 2017, a difference of opinion between the Council and the European Parliament on whether goods with digital elements or ‘smart goods’ should be regulated under the digital content or the sales of goods Directives delayed progress in the subsequent trilogues. A general approach on the sales of goods proposal was agreed at the recent Justice and Home Affairs Council on 7 December. I am glad to be able to report that the general approach achieved on this proposal is expected to pave the way for agreement on the digital content proposal. While there is still some way to go, there is now a good prospect that both Directives will be adopted before the end of the current term of the European Parliament in April 2019. My Department will then be in a position to recommence work on the Scheme of the Consumer Rights Bill.