Office of Fair Trading staffing
The Minister says the new arrangements require legislation and will establish a Director of Consumer Affairs and a Fair Trade Commission, with existing staff numbers to be reviewed.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the present position regarding the proposed new office of fair trading; and the proposed staffing levels of the office.
Comment on this
The proposed new fair trade arrangements will come into effect as soon as the necessary legislation has been enacted by the Oireachtas. I expect to circulate the Bill to Deputies before the end of the present session.
It is proposed that there will be two offices under the new arrangement, the Office of Director of Consumer Affairs and the Fair Trade Commission. The present staff complement is 25 in the area from which the director will assume responsibility and 11 in the area for which the commission will be responsible. The staffing needs of these offices will be kept under review having regard, inter alia, to Government policy on staffing levels in the Civil Service.