The Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Micheal Martin TD, announced the establishment of the National Consumer Agency as a statutory entity with effect from today Tuesday 1st May 2007.
Commenting Martin said: “The Consumer Protection Act is the most significant new piece of consumer protection legislation in almost 3 decades. The legislation has been designed to provide Irish consumers with one of the strongest and most modern consumer protection regimes.”
The Minister said that consumers would now enjoy much greater protection against unfair, misleading or aggressive commercial practices and that in addition the Act outlawed over 30 different practices including pyramid selling, prize draw scams, unwanted cold calling, making false claims about products or services etc., and on the spot fines for those who break the law.
The Minister said: “The establishment of the National Consumer Agency on a statutory basis marks a red letter day for Irish consumers. The Agency has been given a very strong and significantly expanded remit to enable it to begin shifting the balance of power more towards consumers through forceful advocacy, targeted research, consumer information, education and awareness and enforcement”.
The Minister also announced that he had appointed Stephen Costello, Chairman of the General Consumer Council of Northern Ireland, as the NCA’s chairperson.
RELATED:
Irish National Consumer Agency - a toothless pussycat?
