I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 470 together.
In Ireland, consumer protection and enforcement is under the remit of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the independent statutory body which has powers to enforce consumer law, investigate complaints, and take enforcement actions. These powers operate only within the State; the CCPC cannot take direct enforcement action against traders based in Northern Ireland or Great Britain.
Historically, effective cross border consumer protection relied on EU level cooperation mechanisms, mutual recognition of remedies, and coordinated action between consumer enforcement authorities across Member States. These mechanisms no longer automatically apply in the case of the UK following Brexit, which limits the tools available for Irish authorities to pursue issues arising from transactions with NI/UK based car traders. However, the CCPC does engage with other stakeholders around the sale of cars including with the motor industry, State Agencies and Trading Standards in Northern Ireland. The CCPC provides a consumer helpline and in 2025 it received 57 calls from consumers regarding a range of issues with cars that had been bought in the UK.
Car traders in Ireland are held accountable for selling cars under the Consumer Protection Act and should not provide false or misleading information to consumers. The CCPC takes enforcement action against car traders in Ireland who have been subject of complaints.
The CCPC is host to the European Consumer Centre Ireland (ECCI), which provides free information and advice to consumers about their consumer rights under EU law. The ECCI also assist consumers in resolving cross-border consumer complaints. They work with the UK International Consumer Centre (UKICC) to resolve cross border complaints between Ireland and the UK. It relies on the voluntary cooperation of the consumer and business.
