Jobs Committee to discuss impact of black economy on small business with ISME and SFA

Chairman of the Committee Deputy Damien English said: “The impact of the black market on small business is an issue of concern for the Committee and one to which we are devoting a lot of time and attention. Over the past number of months we have met with Retail Ireland; former assistant Garda Commissioner, Tony Hickey, Chairman of the Evaluation Committee and Advisory Board of Risk Management International; RGDATA; as well as holding a series of regional meetings to address a number of key issues facing the retail industry, particularly the impact of the black market.

“From this series of meetings, we are aware that the black market destroys sales and makes jobs more vulnerable. It is important that we as a committee with a remit in the area of jobs, enterprise and innovation continue to play our part in contributing to achieving progress on this subject and finding new potential solutions to the problem and to protect small retail businesses.

“We resume our hearings on the issue tomorrow when we meet with representatives from ISME and the SFA when we will get their perspectives. The Committee will be particularly interested in hearing from both organisations on the changes they would like to see implemented in terms of enforcement, penalties, resources and providing information to customers about the consequences of buying smuggled or fake goods.”

Before the Committee meets with ISME and the SFA it will carry out scrutiny of EU legislative proposals:
COM(2013)36 Communication on setting up a European Retail Market;
COM(2013)37 Green Paper on Unfair Trading Practices;
COM(2013)102 - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 92/58/EEC, 92/85/EEC, 94/33/EC, 98/24/EC and Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, in order to align them to Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures;
and COM(2013)107 Establishing a space surveillance and tracking support programme;

This meeting will start in Committee Room 2, Leinster House at 1.30pm tomorrow, Tuesday 16th April 2013.

Committee proceedings can be followed live at:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee Membership

Deputies: Dara Calleary, Áine Collins, Michael Conaghan, Damien English (Chair), John Halligan, Seán Kyne, Anthony Lawlor, John Lyons (Vice-Chair) and Peadar Tóibín.

Senators: Deirdre Clune, David Cullinane, John Kelly, Michael Mullins, Feargal Quinn and Mary White