Kitt calls for consumers body to publish euro report

Minister for Consumer Affairs Tom Kitt has called on the Consumer’s Association of Ireland to publish the results of its euro survey, which found that the changeover was forcing up inflation.

Mr Kitt said companies and businesses which were overcharging should be named to ‘‘empower’’ consumers.

There was no evidence to suggest a statutory price freeze would benefit consumers.

‘‘A price freeze would only bring us back to the days of generalised price control which we abandoned in the 1980s because it was unworkable,’’ he said.

‘‘None of the 12 governments in the Eurozone used price controls to safeguard against unwarranted price increases in the changeover to the Euro. Can all of Europe be wrong?’’.

Despite an intensive campaign by the Government to head off price rises in the wake of the January 1 arrival of the common European currency, the Consumers’ Association of Ireland said costs had gone up in a number of areas since the euro replaced the punt.

Pubs, restaurants and doctors were identified by the association as the main culprits.

Some traders were alleged to have utilised confusion generated by the changeover to put up prices ‘‘significantly’’.

Michael Kilcoyne, head of the consumers’ organisation, said: ‘‘This is not anecdotal. There is very clear evidence."