PRICE HIKES UNFEIR

Labour wants annual phone bill price rises ended after ‘disgraceful’ case

LABOUR wants annual phone bill hikes axed as it slammed telecom giant Eir for warning employees they’d face disciplinary action if they handled customer complaints.

This week a judge labelled the telecom giant’s warning to workers “disgraceful”.

At Dublin District Court, Anthony Halpin fined the company €7,500 after it was prosecuted by the Commission for Communications Regulation over its former complaints protocol.

Speaking in the Dail yesterday, Labour’s finance spokesman Ged Nash welcomed the verdict and stated Eir had “consistently let down their customers”. He added: “It shows regulation does work. But the reality is for the large parts, our regulatory authorities are nothing more than nodding dogs for business.

“Since 2014, Comreg and other regulators have had the responsibility to vindicate the rights of consumers.

“The reality in an Irish market context is that they are unlikely to do that.

“But [the Eir verdict] and this process has been a win for consumers and a win for Eir workers.”

Mr Nash said he believed there are a “number of other things” that the regulator should be doing for consumers.

He added this should involve the abolition of yearly mid-contract price hikes for some bill-pay customers.

The TD said the fact that DEMAND companies can add at least 3% increases plus further inflation-linked increases is “absolutely outrageous”.

Mr Nash added: “That is not how a functioning and regulated market should operate.

“Even the Tories in the UK decided to abolish this anti-competitive practice. We believe this should be done here as well.” Labour also called for deals offered only to new customers to be banned and argued special or cheaper packages should also be offered to existing

customers.