Why is Celia Larkin on the board of the new consumer agency and we are not, asks Dermott Jewell.
It is always difficult when personalities become the focus of what is a far more important debate. Certainly, for the Consumers' Association of Ireland (CAI), this is the case relating to the most recent nominee of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to the National Consumer Agency Interim Board.
The CAI has only one point of interest in the appointment of Ms Celia Larkin - that is that it was made a month after serious concerns were raised by the CAI at the lack of a place on the board for our direct representation and input.
The concern was then, as it continues to be now, that the exclusion of Ireland's only professional independent association was overlooked.
On a daily basis we have been lobbying since our foundation in 1966; producing independent research on a monthly basis; representing Ireland and its consumers on numerous boards and committees throughout the State and in Europe; and vocalising the inadequacies of the consumer's lot.
This is a significant and costly exclusion to a board which is setting out to ensure that "the interests of consumers will be brought to the forefront of national and local decision making in Ireland".
Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin is admirably quoted as saying it is his belief that "it is critical that in moving towards the expanded remit envisaged for the NCA, that we build on the valuable work done over many years by the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs", and that the current director "will bring valuable expertise to bear on the work of the interim board".
It is regrettable that the Minister could not attribute a similar value, apparently, for similar expertise displayed and work carried out by the CAI.
To be more specific, the CAI may have been overlooked in the considerations and deliberations leading to Mr Martin's press release on June 6th, in which the membership of the 12-member interim board was announced.
But it must have formed some more salient part of the discussions during the month of deliberation leading to this latest appointment.
What troubles, disappoints and angers the members of the CAI is that the Taoiseach's appointment continued to ignore them, as evidently he too could see no value in the appointment of the experienced CAI, and favoured a business consumer voice to add to those already in place.
Therefore, it is important to put on record that the CAI, in the view of the Taoiseach or the minister with responsibility for consumer affairs, does not rank as important enough to contribute on your behalf to the National Consumer Agency interim board.
This view persists despite the fact that, among CAI's many achievements on behalf of the Irish consumer it: received presidential acclaim for initiating the pilot phase and subsequent establishment of our small claims court procedure; was foremost in bringing to formation the Food Safety Authority of Ireland; launched the "Tip-offs of Rip-offs" campaign which coined the "rip-off Ireland" phrase culminating in the first Forfás Report on Price Comparisons, and has provided a free national advice/ information service helpline for Irish consumers for almost 40 years.
I should point out that the CAI is not exactly reeling from this blow.
As we enter the 40th year of representation we continue to struggle as a self-funded, non-profit association registered with charitable status. It was only in 2001 that we first received some State funding assistance and that for the sum of $63,000 per annum. This sum has been fought hard by us ever since to maintain but has proven impossible to increase.
Thus, you continue to see a small association, heavily reliant on voluntary input but punching well above its weight on a national level and all the more determined to continue to do so.
Consumer welfare and prosperity being a low priority for the Government is nothing new and the Consumers' Association of Ireland is living, struggling, fighting proof of that. Our experiences of this low priority has provided the background for numerous questions raised in the Dáil and the Seanad, and even by MEPs at EU level, regarding the lack of the provision of reasonable sum, fixed structural financial support.
Look back over this last month and you quickly and clearly see just how little has changed.
It is a poor day for Government representation of the consumer. It is a wake-up call to those who need now to join with and support the Consumers' Association of Ireland which must now fight harder than ever to ensure experienced and truly independent representation and address what continue to be urgent needs for the Irish consumer - but with the loud voice to demand it and the means to see it done!
Dermott Jewell is chief executive Consumers' Association of Ireland