Over €7 million is to be spent next year on consumer affairs, Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Micheál Martin announced today.
The department saw its allocation in this year's Book of Estimates go up by 4.6 per cent to €1.26 billion - an increase of €76 million.
This figure includes an increase of €55 million (4.2 per cent) Exchequer spending and an increase of €21 million (6.3 per cent) in spending from the National Training Fund.
The increase in consumer affairs spending of €3.1 million (76 per cent) will be largely allocated to the interim board of the new National Consumer Agency for initial work in the areas of consumer awareness, advocacy and research.
Mindful of the Government's perceived failure to curb what has popularly become known as "rip-off Ireland", Mr Martin said: "The increased allocation will help to demonstrate to consumers that real change is under way, and that their interests are being supported."
Mr Martin also singled out the 15 per cent increased allocation to the Competition Authority, which will allow it double resources in its Cartel Enforcement Division - an important tool in the controlling prices.
Mr Martin said the extra €738,000, which will see the authority's budget increases to €5.831 million, will enable the authority to "substantially increase the number of investigations that it can carry out into criminal breaches of the Competition Act".
As the Government continues its drive towards observing the principle of the Lisbon Agenda, which aims to create a knowledge-based economy in the EU, an extra €1.5 million has been set aside for the Science and Technology Programme.
The increase to €4 million will be spent on an enhanced primary science programme, and the development of a new pilot programme aimed at second level students. Expenditure from the National Training Fund in 2006 will amount to €353.6 million, an increase of 6 per cent.
Mr Martin said: "The increase in NTF funding for 2006 reflects my department's commitment to the promotion of lifelong learning as a means of continuing to support the development of a knowledge-based economy."
Significant funding increases will also be aimed at up-skilling the existing workforce and programmes aimed at the long-term unemployed people and other marginalised groups. Training for those with disabilities goes up by €2 million to €66 million.
If the Government hopes to convince the unions into entering another partnership agreement then improved workplace inspections and enforcement of labour laws will be essential.
The alleged mistreatment of workers - particularly migrants - by companies such as Gama Contruction has lead to calls for a strengthened labour inspectorate. Today Minister Martin said eleven new inspectors would be appointed.
"The increased diversity of our labour market has brought with an increased obligation on us to ensure that migrant workers and other vulnerable groups are not discriminated against," Mr Martin said.
He also announced initiatives to thoroughly revise the "model of employment rights enforcement" as suggested by the Taoiseach earlier this year.
Further funding for the Health and Safety Authority was also announced.
The allocations for capital spending for the IDA and Enterprise Ireland remain in line with last year, though there will be a shift in focus to attract more large-scale foreign direct investment, with a particular focus on the development of large-scale strategic sites.