Call for higher Small Claims Court limit
Figures from the consumer-protection watchdog show that it referred almost 6,000 consumers to the Small Claims Court in the first half of this year.
The Small Claims Court allows consumers to resolve certain disputes with businesses through the District Court without having to use a solicitor. It deals with claims up to the value of €2,000.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has pointed out, however, that many people who contact it cannot use this option, as their average spending on a product or service is €6,473.
Commitments
“Many consumers, especially those with issues with cars or home improvements, are automatically excluded from the option of the Small Claims Court due to the low claim threshold,” said Aoibhín de Búrca (CCPC director of communications and consumer information).
The regulator has welcomed commitments from the Government to ‘substantially increase’ the limit of the small-claims procedure.
“We strongly recommend that it be increased to €8,000,” de Búrca stated.
Rathwood tops calls list
She was speaking as the commission published figures showing that 22,724 consumers contacted its helpline in the first half of 2026.
The top issues were faulty goods, pricing, and contract performance
The top sectors consumers contacted the CCPC about were vehicles and transport, utilities and fuel, and homebuilding and improvements.
The top five traders for helpline contacts were Rathwood (737 contacts), Ryanair (238), Sky (228), Currys (223), and Harvey Norman (196).