In recent days, two examples of how hard it can be for consumers to reach satisfactory conclusions with insurers or banks when things go wrong have come to light.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Government has lost all patience with the major banks over the tracker mortgage scandal.

The pension watchdog has expressed concern that many workers are finding themselves with inadequate pension provision as a result of leaving it until close to retirement age to check out their entitlements, writes Seán McCárthaigh.

The pension watchdog has expressed concern that many workers are finding themselves with inadequate pension provision as a result of leaving it until close to retirement age to check out their entitlements.

Complaints about mortgages led the way when it came to issues coming before the Financial Services Ombudsman last year, with the ombudsman also stating he was concerned that some banks were denying customers access to online banking.

OVER the last 12 months, the National Employment Rights Authority recovered €2.5m in owed wages for 6,000 workers who were not paid their statutory minimum entitlements by their employers.

Employers have been warned that they face being "named and shamed" if they break the law by failing to give employees their statutory entitlements, employment group McCann FitzGerald have warned today.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, TD today launched a major publicity campaign to inform workers of their rights, as new figures confirm that the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) recovered €2.5m in wages for workers during 2007.

THE Government is to start naming and shaming employers who breach employment law in legislation in lists similar to the Revenue’s tax defaulters.

Up to 90 labour inspectors are to protect the rights of workers all over the country, it was announced today.

Taxi unions have expressed concern about the news that the regulator for their industry is leaving to take up a new state job.

The establishment of the National Employment Rights Authority, and that of Ger Deering as its director, will be welcomed by the trade unions.

NEARLY €350,000 was spent on a botched sticker system for taxis designed to give passengers information on fares and their rights.

A HELPLINE established to inform people of their rights when using a taxi is receiving more than 500 calls a week.

The Taxi Regulator today said he hoped cab drivers would not cause further disruption when more changes to the industry were implemented in the coming months.

The controversial new changes to national taxi fares are due to be formally unveiled by Taxi Regulator Ger Deering later today.

TAXI drivers have abandoned their threat to withdraw services from the Ryder Cup in their dispute over planned changes to fares and charges.

The leaders of the three main taxi-driver unions are due to meet the Taxi Regulator today in another effort to resolve the row over new fare structures.

THE threat of further taxi strikes receded yesterday after taxi unions achieved progress in talks with the Department of Transport.

Officials at the Department of Transport were today preparing to intervene in the increasingly bitter dispute by taxi drivers against new fare structures.

Travellers and commuters can expect a day of traffic chaos today as taxi drivers continue their series of one-day stoppages over new fare structures.

STRIKING taxi drivers will meet the industry’s regulator this morning in a bid to end an escalating dispute over a set of pricing and other reforms, which are due to take effect in a fortnight’s time.

Up to 10,000 taxi drivers are today staging a seven-hour stoppage in protest at new fare structures.

LEADERS of the main taxi unions yesterday dared regulator Ger Deering to defend his national fares structure in front of angry drivers.

ANGRY taxi drivers are to stage a mass protest rally in Dublin in early September over a new fare structure.

Taxi regulator Ger Deering will not attend a mass rally of drivers protesting against new fare structures.

The Taxi Regulator has offered to meet with the leadership of the three main taxi-drivers' unions to discuss their concerns about a new fare structure coming into force next month.

The Taxi Regulator, Ger Deering, is expected to respond today to a request from taxi-drivers for further negotiations on a planned new fare structure.

The Minister for Tourism John O’Donoghue tonight appealed for businesses to use common sense when charging visitors during Ryder Cup week.

THE three unions representing thousands of the country’s taxi drivers will meet early next week to decide how much they will disrupt service to the Ryder Cup.

IT is no coincidence that a national meeting of taxi drivers voted unanimously that their next stoppage will impinge on the very prestigious Ryder Cup golf event, which will be held in this country for the first time.

The Taxi Regulator and the Minister for Sport and Tourism have both criticised threats by taxi-drivers to go on strike during next month's Ryder Cup.

Tens of thousands of spectators attending next month’s Ryder Cup could face transport chaos due to a strike by taxi-drivers, it emerged today.

Up to 1,000 taxi-drivers in Dublin have voted to strike during next month’s Ryder Cup.

Thousands of taxi drivers are expected to attend a meeting in Dublin tonight to discuss their campaign of opposition to a new fare structure.

Taxi drivers are returning to work this morning after a second 24-hour strike to protest at a new fare structure being imposed by the regulator.

Taxi drivers are set to withdraw their services for twenty-four hours next Tuesday after a meeting with the Taxi Regulator ended without agreement this afternoon.

GOLF fans attending the Ryder Cup in September face the possibility of travel chaos after taxi drivers warned that a work stoppage during the tournament was a possibility.

STRIKING taxi drivers were due to return to work early this morning amidst conflicting views about the success of their 24-hour stoppage.

TAXI drivers in Killarney are up in arms over a submission sent by Killarney Town Council to the Commission for Taxi Regulation.

Taxi customers nationwide are to be charged the same in a new fare structure announced today.

The Taxi Regulator Ger Deering is reportedly planning an undercover inspection campaign to ensure taxi drivers are complying with rules and regulations.

TAXI drivers are set to postpone a formal submission for a fare increase until next January after Taxi Regulator Ger Deering ruled out their demand for a 50 cent surcharge to compensate plate-holders for rising petrol prices.

Taxi fares are set to be standardised nationwide as part of new regulatory moves in the industry to be introduced by the new taxi regulator.