We’ve sought auctioneer regulation for years

YOUR front page report on the new regulatory authority for auctioneers and estate agents was misleading (Irish Examiner, October 19).

Auctioneers are not officially self-regulated at present - no profession can be entirely self-regulated that requires an annual State-granted licence to practice. Such self-regulation as exists applies only to members of established professional bodies.

The Auctioneering Review Group’s report says that such self-regulation as exists through the professional bodies actually works and it encourages the public to continue to use their complaints procedures, recognising that they take their roles seriously.