New Appointment to National Consumer Agency

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Was thinking this could be a "Good Deals,Bad Deals & Consumer Issues " comment, but I think that the appointment of Berties ex to the NCA is more suitable for a rant in here than anywhere else.

The justification from the Department was that "she has skills and experience" but in what?????

What exactly is the benefit to the NCA and Irish consumers as a whole to have Celia Larkin on this organisation?

Can anyone, including Bertie, give a reasoned arguement as to why this is anything other than nepotism???

<edited to based on comment below to correct name>
 
Hear, hear. I was just about to post on the same myself. But does it really matter, given that the interim board is being chaired by the chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Managers (what have they done for consumers lately-or am I missing the point-is this agency for businesses?)
 
Very true regarding business interests.

Though, Minister Martin today has said that there are two consumer representatives on the NCA - Gillian Kelly and Marie Barry.

Anyone have any idea who they are???

I have to say though, that the Consumers Association of Ireland jumping up and down about their non-involvement is a bit comical.

They've done nothing pro-active for consumers that I can see in the last couple of years. Why would they act any differently on the board of the NCA.

I think that Michael Kilcoyne and Dermott Jewell are two of the greatest reactionaries seen in this country for a long time. Great men for quotes and soundbites, but when was the last time the Consumers Association actually did anything for the consumers.
 
I saw a lisiting at the weekend (can't think where now) of the members. I think that Gillian Kelly and Marie Barry were described as 'Housewives' (I am open to correction on this-it may have been another group-it was the one with Brendan and Eddie Hobbs on the board).


And is two enough? How many members in total? Shouldn't the membership be biased in favour of consumers or consumer agencies?
 
A motley crew.....

Ms Ann Fitzgerald (Chairperson) - Chief Executive, The Irish Association of Investment Managers

Ms Inez Bailey - Director, National Adult Literacy Agency

Ms Marie Barry-Ring - Consumer

Mr Steven Costello - Chairman, General Consumer Council for NI

Dr John Fingleton - Chairman, The Competition Authority

Ms Carmel Foley - Director of Consumer Affairs

Mr Eddie Hobbs - Financial Consultant, FDM

Ms Gillian Kelly - Consumer

Ms Deirdre McDonnell - Managing Director, OTS Ltd

Mr Robin O’Sullivan - President, Chambers of Commerce Ireland

Mr Alex Schuster - Dublin School of Law, Trinity College Dublin

Dr Edward Shinnick - Department of Economics, University College Cork,

And another thing, with Eddie Hobbs there, shouldn't that keep the Consumers Association happy, seeing as he's a director there as well.

There are so many things wrong with this organisation. Even their contact details are in the Irish Association of Investment Managers/Forfas offices in Wilton Place.

What is OTS Ltd, and what can it's managing director bring to the table for Irish Consumers????

And John Fingleton is leaving the country soon for his new job.

All of it smack of political cronyism, much as I'd hate to be seen agreeing with Fine Gael or Labour.
 
And they managed to get 50/50 Men and Women.
That's a pretty clear statement of priorities.
Is this a requirement now for these sorts of groups?

It sounds like a group that would dot the i's and cross the t's
on a suicide note.

-Rd
 
daltonr said:
And they managed to get 50/50 Men and Women.

-Rd
Click to expand...

Fair play to you! Would have missed that little nugget!


After much searching I came up with this for OTS - not sure if its the same one... [broken link removed]

Obviously consumer champions in there somewhere, obviously
 
Marion said:
Obviously not with the appointment of another female! That makes it 7:6.

Marion
Click to expand...

Unless Ms.Larkin is replacing John Fingleton when he goes off to England.

Couldn't have come up with a better replacement myself!!! Ahem!!!
 
Let's give them a break, give them 12 months and see if they do anything worthwhile.

-Rd
 
daltonr said:
Let's give them a break, give them 12 months and see if they do anything worthwhile.

-Rd
Click to expand...

You better make that 24 months, the amount of time that Carmel Foley has said that it'll take them to do anything of value.

So, mass coverage of ripoff ireland began maybe 2 years ago, and we're 2 years away from anything happening.

Typical FF/PD timeline for getting anything done. All that's needed now is a huge amount of money wasted on the NCA project as well.
 
> You better make that 24 months, the amount of time that Carmel Foley has
> said that it'll take them to do anything of value.


Let me guess. Things will start improving shortly AFTER the next election.
It makes me sick.

-Rd
 
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