IRISH CUSTOMERS WHO bought Volkswagen cars fitted with emissions cheat devices could be in line for compensation if a newly launched investigation finds the German car maker breached consumer protection law.
The Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) confirmed today that it has opened a formal probe into understated carbon dioxide emissions in Volkswagen cars.
The company has been in crisis since revealing it fitted 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide with software to cheat emissions tests.
The chair of the CCPC, Isolde Goggin, said the watchdog is “deeply concerned about the situation which has emerged in recent weeks, particularly the latest disclosure in relation to C02 emission tests”.
“We know that the level of C02 emissions and the related issue of fuel economy are key considerations for consumers when choosing a car,” she said.
“Therefore, we are concerned that purchasers of Volkswagen Group/manufactured cars may have been influenced by information that would now seem to be inaccurate.
“While not confirmed, the company has estimated that in excess of 9,000 vehicles in the state are affected.
“This investigation is a priority for the commission given the potential scale of consumer detriment.
The CPCC investigation will establish if Volkwagen has broken consumer protection legislation in Ireland, and whether misinformation was given to consumers.
It will also look into possible remedies for affected customers.
“We are committed to obtaining the best outcome for Irish consumers and ensuring that they do not suffer as a consequence of being provided with misleading information,” Goggin said.
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