Comreg Consumer Panel

clohamon

From the Ireland Offline quarterly report..

We’d be delighted to help you understand the landscape in Ireland from an independent point of view and from the voice of the consumer. Consumers after all are those that consume telecommunications services and are a voice that has consistently been ignored.

http://irelandoffline.org/2011/06/quarterly-report-q2-2011/



The Department of Finance commissioned a report on Irish Regulation from the Economist Intelligence Unit in 2009. Among its recommendations to Comreg were:

1. That the size of Comreg’s consumer panel should be increased from six
2. That it should include representatives from business.
3. That it be resourced.
4. That the method of selection be changed. (Comreg currently chooses the panel members itself)

Since then the panel has decreased in size to four appointees; meeting sometimes with just three present and regularly facing a Comreg contingent of nine or more. It remains un-resourced and the method of selection is unchanged. The members of the panel, three of whom lead organisations that receive government funding to a greater or lesser extent, are unchanged. There still appears to be no member from business and none based in a rural area.

Details of the Panel and minutes of meetings are here

The Panel will be meeting again today in the Westin Hotel.

bealtine

From Comreg's own description:
To highlight the importance of engaging with residential consumers and Small to Medium Enterprises

Yet not one of the members of the panel has any knowledge of the SME or consumer sectors (and yes I include Dermot Jewell in that sweeping statement)