24th January, 2002
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Tip-offs on Rip-offs campaign, Euro change over 2002

Dear Michael,

Further to various Radio Programs last week, when callers rang in to inform listeners about the rip-offs they had being experiencing in some establishments following the Euro-change over, we in the Consumers Association would like to invite Douglas Weekly to join us in our campaign to Tip-off the public on the Rip-offs.
As you are probably aware, the Consumers' Association yesterday released some of our preliminary results in our nation-wide survey on prices, which has shown several glaring incidences of Pubs, Restaurants, Hospitals, Doctors, Road Tax and Toll Roads putting up their prices at the same time as the Euro-change over. With the exception of the Toll Roads, nobody stated in advance that they would be introducing such price increases, thus appearing to "sneak in" a price increase. This was something that all the Government Agencies involved with the Euro-change over had stated would be very much “frowned upon".
Frankly, the Irish People deserve better than this. Most ethical businesses did not use the Change over to sneak in a price rise, even though it would have been easy for them to do so.
The Consumers' Association of Ireland, a voluntary organisation funded by donation and subscription, set up in 1966 to represent the interests of all Consumers, is determined to out the Rip-off merchants and shame them into upholding the generally accepted practice of not using the Euro-change over as an excuse to rise their prices.
We would be delighted if you and your Readers would send us details of Rip-offs, so we can include them in our final report, thus not only producing a Survey on prices but giving individual and detailed evidence that the Government, once again has put the interests of Consumers (all 3,6 million of us, everyone in Ireland) behind those of not inconveniencing Big Business and the Banks.
On behalf of the Association, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this and we look forward to hearing from you.
Yours Sincerely
James O’Flynn 086 2577794
Southern Spokesman.
Consumers' Association of Ireland, 45 Upper Mount Street , Dublin

The good, the bad and the ugly?

Dear Editor,

This Christmas my class and I, the Transition Year students of Coláiste Daibhéid, organised a table quiz in aid of the poor and suffering in Chernobyl. Eventually the daunting task of finding spot prizes loomed before us. We headed into town not expecting much but we were mistaken.
I was in awe of the reception we received and the good-natured attitude of the many donators. Not one of them thought twice about donating fantastic prizes.
I was amazed by the selfless acts of kindness and delighted that the spirit of good will is still alive in Cork. As they say, "there are the good, the bad and the ugly" but in Cork there is no doubt about it that the good definately dominate.

Sinéad Ní Fhloinn,
Student of Coláiste Daibhéid
South Terrace, Cork

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