National consumer agency
Encyclopedia
The National Consumer Agency (NCA) is a statutory body that defends consumer interests in the Republic of Ireland
.
The CSG presented its report, “Making Consumers Count”, to the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)
, Micheál Martin
, in April 2005. Among the report's key recommendations was the establishment of a new agency to champion consumer rights.
The NCA was set up on an interim basis in May 2005, and established on a statutory footing on May 1, 2007. Its chief executive is Ann Fitzgerald, a former chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. She also chaired the Consumer Strategy Group.
The Irish government announced in its 2009 Budget on 14 October 2008 that the NCA would be amalgamated with the Competition Authority, as part of a rationalisation programme that will reduce the number of state agencies in the country by 41.
The NCA's campaigns to date include naming and shaming retailers who are caught breaking consumer law, preventing car dealers "clocking" second-hand cars (altering vehicles' odometers), and intervention in high-profile consumer disputes including ones with NTL Ireland
, Aer Lingus
and MCD PromotersThese interventions resulted in speedy and satisfactory resolutions to the benefit of consumers.
The agency has also carried out a series of price comparison surveys between leading supermarket chains, and cross-border comparisons of grocery items in stores' branches in the Republic and Northern Ireland.
On 2 September 2008 the agency published draft guidelines for the retail sector about how they should advertise price reductions, and related matters such as how long an item needs to be on sale at a higher price before advertising it with a reduced price comparison.
In December the same year there was a nationwide withdrawal of pigmeat from retail outlets after a dioxin contamination scare. The NCA successfully campaigned for full compensation for consumers after initial reluctance by some supermarket chains to refund products that were not their own brands.
On the 18 June 2009, Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan
TD for the Irish Government
established a single fully integrated regulatory institution, the Central Bank of Ireland.
As part of this change, the Financial Regulator's consumer information and education role was reassigned to the National Consumer Agency.
On 16 August 2010 the NCA published its response to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government's Review of the Retail Planning Guidelines (RPGs) Issues Paper.
s, gated communities and other multi-unit developments.
The guide, "Buying and Living in a Multi-Unit Development Property" in Ireland, is available in booklet format or as a download from the website. It contains information on legal terms, Property management
companies and agents, service charges, sinking funds, the function of developers, identifying defects (snagging), insurance
and fire safety
.
This unique tool addresses five key expenditure areas:
set in a virtual shopping centre called Shop Smart. It tests young consumers' knowledge of their consumer rights and consumer issues in Ireland
.
The game is aimed at Irish Junior Certificate
and Leaving Certificate
students who are studying Home Economics
, Business Studies
and Civic, Social and Political Education
(CSPE).
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Background
The NCA's origins can be traced to the setting up of the Consumer Strategy Group (CSG) in March 2004.The CSG presented its report, “Making Consumers Count”, to the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is the senior minister at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is Richard Bruton, TD...
, Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin is an Irish politician who has been leader of Fianna Fáil since January 2011. He is a Teachta Dála for the Cork South Central constituency...
, in April 2005. Among the report's key recommendations was the establishment of a new agency to champion consumer rights.
The NCA was set up on an interim basis in May 2005, and established on a statutory footing on May 1, 2007. Its chief executive is Ann Fitzgerald, a former chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. She also chaired the Consumer Strategy Group.
The Irish government announced in its 2009 Budget on 14 October 2008 that the NCA would be amalgamated with the Competition Authority, as part of a rationalisation programme that will reduce the number of state agencies in the country by 41.
The NCA's campaigns to date include naming and shaming retailers who are caught breaking consumer law, preventing car dealers "clocking" second-hand cars (altering vehicles' odometers), and intervention in high-profile consumer disputes including ones with NTL Ireland
NTL Ireland
NTL Communications Limited was a cable television and Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service company in the Republic of Ireland. As of 2005 it was owned by Liberty Global Europe , having been divested by NTL...
, Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
and MCD PromotersThese interventions resulted in speedy and satisfactory resolutions to the benefit of consumers.
The agency has also carried out a series of price comparison surveys between leading supermarket chains, and cross-border comparisons of grocery items in stores' branches in the Republic and Northern Ireland.
On 2 September 2008 the agency published draft guidelines for the retail sector about how they should advertise price reductions, and related matters such as how long an item needs to be on sale at a higher price before advertising it with a reduced price comparison.
In December the same year there was a nationwide withdrawal of pigmeat from retail outlets after a dioxin contamination scare. The NCA successfully campaigned for full compensation for consumers after initial reluctance by some supermarket chains to refund products that were not their own brands.
On the 18 June 2009, Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
TD for the Irish Government
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
established a single fully integrated regulatory institution, the Central Bank of Ireland.
As part of this change, the Financial Regulator's consumer information and education role was reassigned to the National Consumer Agency.
On 16 August 2010 the NCA published its response to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government's Review of the Retail Planning Guidelines (RPGs) Issues Paper.
ConsumerProperty.ie
In late September 2008 the National Consumer Agency launched a guide and a dedicated website , ConsumerProperty.ie, for people living in or planning on buying multi-unit dwellings. The website and guide have information and tipson consumers' rights and responsibilities if living in apartmentApartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s, gated communities and other multi-unit developments.
The guide, "Buying and Living in a Multi-Unit Development Property" in Ireland, is available in booklet format or as a download from the website. It contains information on legal terms, Property management
Property management
Property management is the operation, control of ususally on behalf of an owner, and oversight of commercial, industrial or residential real estate as used in its most broad terms. Management indicates a need to be cared for, monitored and accountability given for its usable life and condition...
companies and agents, service charges, sinking funds, the function of developers, identifying defects (snagging), insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
and fire safety
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
.
Economiser
On 30 March 2010 the NCA launched the Economiser . This interactive tool advises consumers how much more or less they are spending than the average most relevant to them in Ireland, based on the profiling information they have provided.This unique tool addresses five key expenditure areas:
- Groceries
- Energy
- TV and telecoms (other than mobile)
- Mobile phones
- Motoring - petrol and diesel costs
Shop Smart
In April 2010 the NCA launched an interactive gameGame
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
set in a virtual shopping centre called Shop Smart. It tests young consumers' knowledge of their consumer rights and consumer issues in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
The game is aimed at Irish Junior Certificate
Junior Certificate
The Junior Certificate is an educational qualification awarded in Ireland by the Department of Education to students who have successfully completed the junior cycle of secondary education, and achieved a minimum standard in their Junior Cert. examinations...
and Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate
The Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior...
students who are studying Home Economics
Home Economics
Home economics is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community...
, Business Studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
and Civic, Social and Political Education
Civic, Social and Political Education
Civic, Social and Political Education is one of the compulsory subjects in the Junior Certificate course in the Ireland.-Further Details:*CSPE is a common level subject unlike other subjects in the curriculum...
(CSPE).
External links
- NCA.ie – the NCA’s website for consumers
- corporate.NCA.ie – the NCA’s corporate site, aimed more at businesses (explaining consumer legislation and their obligations to consumers), plus researchers and the media
- ConsumerProperty.ie - the NCA's site about buying an apartment or house in a multi-unit development in Ireland - find out more about the issues and get tips and resources