asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy when he proposes to establish a system of informal consumer tribunals to deal with consumer complaints.

Proposals for informal consumer tribunals can best be considered in the context of the recommendations made in Chapter IV of the National Consumer Advisory Council Report of December, 1974 for consumer arbitration and consumer complaints boards. As the Deputy is aware, two Bills giving effect respectively to certain recommendations in Chapters I and II of the report have been in the House, and in one of them provision is made for the office of Director of Consumer Affairs. Both because I would first wish to see exactly what powers and functions will be given to the director by the Consumer Information Bill in its final form, and because the office resources at my disposal would not permit of my advancing the two Bills as rapidly as I would wish if I were simultaneously to attempt to deal with a further chapter of the report, I must defer for some time yet decisions in relation to Chapter IV and the related question of informal consumer tribunals.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say if the Minister is in favour in principle of the setting up of such consumer tribunals? He gave categorical assurances that he would do so if appointed Minister. Now apparently it is not to be done.

I did not say that.

Is he in favour of them in principle?

The Deputy's question refers to the informal consumer tribunals to deal with consumer complaints. I assume the Deputy has in mind some kind of an honest broker body which would attempt to achieve voluntary settlements of disputes between consumers and traders but whose rulings would have no legal force whatever but merely such persuasive powers as the standing of the informal tribunal would give them. If such bodies were thought useful, and if the Department of Finance would provide the necessary money, it would be comparatively easy to set them up, no legislation being necessary. It would have to be shown first, however, that voluntary bodies with no power to find in law would be sufficiently effective to justify the expenditure of the time and money they could entail. Furthermore, presumably there would be no question of setting them up if statutorily constituted bodies with legal powers were to be established. It is necessary, therefore, to consider the NCAC proposals before thinking of setting up informal consumer tribunals.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the reply she has given is precisely the same reply as that given in this House two-and-a-half years ago? Notwithstanding that the Minister, Deputy O'Malley, said he would set up such bodies. I do not hold the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for the Minister's absence.

If the answer is the same as the answer given two-and-a-half years ago, it is amazing that no action has been taken up to now.

It is amazing that it could still occur under the Fianna Fáil manifesto.