According to Carmel Foley, Director of Consumer Affairs and tonight's lecturer at Plunket College, there is a conventional view that the Irish consumer is too timid to complain or to bargain about quality or price. However, Foley's office got no less than 21,000 calls last year. Is this change due to the Celtic Tiger?

Previous lecturer John Lonergan believes we have bred a discontent society which has insatiable demands. Professor Kathleen Flynn and Peter McVerry SJ cited inequality at so many levels. Jim O'Leary of Davy Stockbrokers told us about the increase in consumer spending. Perhaps we complain because we are now, as professor Tom Garvin outlined, we are more educated and articulate. Tonight, Carmel Foley's theme will be "The Counter Revolution: A consumer's guide to getting your own back".

Consumer protection is now a fundamental part of our laws of contract and trading, much in the manner developed in Europe and US. Consumer protection is also a significant political issue, as we have seen in the areas of financial regulation, the price of drinks, advertising for air flights and policing the introduction of the euro. The unstoppable trend is for greater protection.

This legislation is important in that it creates a legal framework for consumer protection which aims at customer satisfaction. However, knowing the law is on your side won't prevent your special evening from being ruined by an overcooked meal that is slapped on the table in a restaurant that is overpriced. So should you complain, make a fuss and run the risk of totally destroying your evening? Or should you just silently fume, and never come back? You should complain of course.

Foley observes that there are many areas of consumer affairs in which more can be done. These include health, childcare, food quality, telecoms, safety, travel and leisure, financial services and house purchasing. Carmel Foley would gladly welcome and assist in any queries in these, or other, areas.

Join us tonight at 8 p.m. in Plunket College, Swords Road (opposite Regency Hotel), Dublin, for what promises to be an exciting conclusion to the lecture series.

Rosemary Dawson is a PR consultant and event manager.