And speaking of power relationships… we’re all consumers now..?

It shouldn’t but it does surprise me when I read about stuff like this. For all the cant about regulation it is disturbing how little there can be. For a new Consumer Rights Bill is being introduced. And what does it cover?

… “a basic imbalance” between consumers and retailers and service providers.
Other proposals will seek to introduce information rights for consumers in transactions for healthcare, social services and gambling, including price information for GP and other medical consultations.

And:

Rights for anyone buying services will be strengthened, and for the first time people will have the right to have a substandard service remedied or refunded
A standard 30-day period in which consumers can return faulty goods and get a full refund will be introduced to replace rules on this time period which are unclear, and those who get goods as gifts will have the same rights as those who bought the goods.

And:

Expiry dates on gift vouchers will be scrapped, consumers who download or stream content will get enhanced protection and unfair contracts are to be outlawed as part of the most sweeping reform of Irish consumer law in decades, to be announced
today.

What’s remarkable is how this stuff is still lagging behind. Richard Bruton’s point about a ‘basic imbalance’ is appalling – this being 2015.