Select Committee on Business, Enterprise and Innovation to take Committee Stage of Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2018

The Bill proposes to amend the Consumer Protection Act 2007 to place a minimum expiry date of five years for gift vouchers, a ban on requirement for gift vouchers to be spent in one transaction and a ban on cancellation of gift vouchers – or the imposition of charges – where the recipient’s name is registered incorrectly.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, who is moving the Bill on behalf of the Government, will be in attendance. The Minister is moving a number of amendments to the Bill as initiated, which the Committee will have the opportunity to examine.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Chair Mary Butler TD said: “Given how popular gift vouchers are, this is an important piece of legislation to strengthen protection for consumers. We hope to progress Committee Stage of the Bill as promptly as possible so that this legislation can be enacted in time for Christmas, when many people will be giving and receiving gift vouchers as presents.”

The meeting in Committee Room 1 can be viewed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.