Simon O’Brien, the head of the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc), suspects its headquarters have been placed under surveillance and he is looking internally for the spy.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission will come under intense pressure today to explain who leaked the alleged bugging allegations to the media.

Garda chiefs have still not overhauled the force as demanded by the Morris Tribunal seven years ago, State investigators have warned.

CONCERNS were raised again yesterday regarding government appointments to powerful public bodies.

THE Irish Council for Civil Liberties has criticised the Government for appointing a retired senior civil servant as head of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC).

ABOUT 3,000 complaints were made to the Garda Ombudsman Commission in its first year of operation — including the deaths of 17 members of the public.

THE new Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission will investigate the controversial death of a young man who was fatally injured in Lucan last March after being struck by a car driven by an off-duty garda.

PEOPLE who make malicious complaints about gardaí could be prosecuted in the courts, the Garda Ombudsman said yesterday.

THE Law Society has rejected claims it was biased when it deemed that excessive fees were charged by a firm of Cork solicitors to two abuse victims for processing claims before the Residential Institutions Redress Board.

THE Government yesterday insisted that planned legislation, aimed at giving the National Consumer Agency (NCA) powers to tackle the rip-off Ireland culture, remained on track.

THE new Garda Ombudsman Commission will have the staffing and budget to match the Police Ombudsman in the North, according to Justice Minister Michael McDowell.

The new Garda Ombudsman Commission will have the staffing and the budget to match the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland, it was claimed tonight.

The Director of Consumer Affairs has advised consumers to keep an eye on prices when shopping for Valentine's Day cards.

PRICES of greeting cards were not displayed in a quarter of stores in the run-up to St Valentine’s Day, a survey revealed.

Irish butchers should display the weight of the meat they sell in kilos as well as pounds - and face prosecution if they do not change their ways.

DUNNES Stores has made a substantial donation to a good cause after admitting 10 counts of failing to display prices of grocery items at three of its Dublin stores.

The Director Consumer Affairs has threatened to take legal action against retailers who fail to display the price of items like sweets and chocolate.

AN elderly woman fighting cancer had almost €1,000 stolen from her credit card by cruel fraudsters who lured her with the promise of a free holiday.

Restaurants and cafes were warned today to display their prices at front doors or risk fines of €3,000.

The average price for a litre of petrol in Ireland has risen by 12.3 cent in the past year, according to a new survey.

RISING oil costs have pushed petrol prices up by more than 12% and diesel by more than 15% in the last year, a survey found yesterday.

Director of Consumer Affairs Carmel Foley has urged passengers affected by delays on Helios Airways flights from Cyprus to seek compensation under new EU legislation.

MUSIC lovers have been urged to buy concert tickets from authorised outlets after it emerged touts were benefiting from the cancellation of US Rapper Eminem’s Slane concert.

Petrol stations that are fined for charging a higher price for fuel than is displayed deserve everything they get, a consumer chief said today.

The Director of Consumer Affairs has warned motorists to be on the lookout for service stations that charge more for fuel than their advertised prices.

The Director of Consumer Affairs is to take prosecutions against two Galway hotels for overcharging customers in their licensed premises.

THE Director of Consumer Affairs is to prosecute two well-known Galway hotels for charging more than the displayed prices for specific drinks during the busy race week.

A MOTOR dealer in Tipperary has become the first person to be convicted of “car clocking” — selling a second-hand vehicle after reducing the reading on the milometer.

DIRECTOR of Consumer Affairs Carmel Foley yesterday welcomed the first prosecution of a pub for not displaying the price of certain drinks under a new law that allows traders to be fined up to €3,000 for this offence.

DUBLIN is a rip-off capital for people who have a sweet tooth.

PARENTS are being warned about ‘dangerous’ new micro-motorbikes that have claimed the lives of two children in Northern Ireland, as a consumer watchdog fears they are being aimed at children here.

A RING tone company promoting the chart-topping Crazy Frog tune has admitted to heavily overcharging Irish mobile phone users - including children under 16.

ENTERPRISE, Trade and Employment minister Micheál Martin has named the interim chairman of the National Consumer Agency.

The Director of Consumer Affairs has issued a warning about rogue holiday operators attempting to defraud Irish people over the telephone.

The Director of Consumer Affairs is set to seek legislation to crack down on postal competitions and promotions that encourage people to ring premium-rate phone-lines.

UP to €100 million will be saved on Government medical costs annually following a decision to allow pharmacists prescribe cheaper over-the-counter drugs to medical card holders.

Two Dublin pubs were fined in Dublin District Court today for breaches of the Retail Price (Beverages in Licensed Premises) Display Order, 1999.

CHECK the price, then pick the pub.

SWEET chariots could be swinging to a new low if Ireland add to England’s recent woes by overcoming their historic enemy in tomorrow’s rugby international at Lansdowne Road.

THE Government has been accused of showing contempt for Irish consumers over its implementation of EU regulations on compensation to air travellers.

THE Director of Consumer Affairs has criticised the Government for its “lack of consultation” in deciding her office will have responsibility for handling compensation claims by travellers against airlines from next month.

PUBLICANS who are blatantly in breach of price display laws will be prosecuted in the New Year, the Director of Consumer Affairs has pledged.

Consumers were today warned to be vigilant about being charged higher prices for drink at Christmas parties and functions.

The survey has found that the average price of a litre of petrol at 98.8c had fallen by over one cent, when compared with the ODCA survey of 9 to12 August where the average price was 99.9c.