The Irish Times view on car repairs: balancing competition and consumer protection
has reminded motor dealers
that it is an offence under competition law to prevent motorists from choosing who services or repairs their car and what parts they use.
The target of the warning is motor dealers who tie warranties and guarantees on cars they sell to conditions specifying they must be serviced and repaired by authorised dealers and only using parts supplied by the manufacturer. While this might give the dealer some comfort when standing over an extended warranty – as well as a potential source of income – it is also anti-competitive. These practices – which include denying independent garages access to diagnostic data or tools – drive up prices, limit choice, and harm both consumers and independent garages, says the CCPC.
The industry can now consider itself warned. No formal proceedings have been instigated at this stage but the CCPC says it is seeking information from motor distributors and urged them to review and amend any arrangements that might constitute anti-competitive behaviour. Assuming the motor industry complies, the result should be more choice and better value for car owners when it comes to repairs and servicing.
However, the CCPC seems to have assumed that all garages are equal, that none of them use substandard replacement parts and all are competent in the use of the sophisticated diagnostic tools supplied by manufacturers.
READ MORE
There is no formal accreditation or certification of independent garages although the Society of the Motor Industry runs a scheme covering crash repairs. Insurance companies also have lists of approved garages for repairs. But when it comes to servicing and other routine repairs, consumers have little to go on apart from an individual garage's reputation.
Ensuring that independent garages meet a minimum standard would appear to be a reasonable quid-pro-quo for demanding that motor dealers share diagnostic tools and stand over warranties when third parties are involved.
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
How much did a Bono self-portrait sell for? – and the growing trend of investing in wristwatches
One would almost think, that with the ubiquity of smart phones and other devices with prominent digital displays of time, wristwatches would have become a thing of the past. Not so, it seems. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in demand for high-end watches - almost ironically give that with lockdowns, there was a sense of time standing still. Noting that many people had more disposable income during Covid, 'some people saw it as a good time to make an investment in a watch,' says Sophie Duff, jewellery valuer with Adams Blackrock, the Irish auction house that recently relocated to 17 Kildare Street, Dublin. The auctioneer's current jewellery timed online auction – which ends on Thursday, July 17th from 7pm - has a few stand-out watches among the lots. READ MORE Perhaps the most prominent of the watches in Adams Blackrock's forthcoming auction is the Patek Philippe 'Golden Ellipse' 18 carat yellow gold man's watch, dated 1988 (€7,500-€8,500). 'This model allows Patek to flaunt its expertise in the field of watchmaking, particularly in the beautifully textured Milanese bracelet strap,' explains Duff. Patek Philippe is one of the world's most luxurious watchmakers. The Geneva-based company has an on-site museum which chronicles the 500-year history of watchmaking. It includes exhibits of 2,500 watches including a range of its own pocket and wristwatches since it began making watches in 1839. Incidentally, the Irish Museum of Time in Waterford city also has displays of Irish-made wristwatches and the best collection in the world of Irish-made pocket watches, from the 18th to 20th century. Another interesting watch at the Adams Blackrock auction is the Chopard 'Happy Sport' stainless steel diamond-set lady's wristwatch (€1,800-€2,000). Adams Blackrock's forthcoming auction includes the Patek Philippe 'Golden Ellipse' 18ct yellow gold man's watch dated 1988 (€7,500-€8,500) The Chopard 'Happy Sport' stainless steel diamond-set lady's wristwatch (€1,800-€2,000), at Adams Blackrock auction 'Chopard are known for their iconic 'Happy Diamonds', a design feature where loose diamonds appear to float within the piece,' explains Duff. Adams Blackrock, which was recently acquired by Belfast-based Ross's auctioneers and valuers, offers dual-currency bidding, with buyers able to submit bids in euro or sterling. Items are also on view in both auction houses in advance of their monthly auctions. [ Belfast-based watchmaker Nomadic moves with the times to reinvent retail experience Opens in new window ] Ken Israel, head of watches at Adam's Fine Art Auctioneers, 26 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, says there is a strong and consistent demand for vintage Patek Philippe watches. 'In our latest sale [May, 2025], a beautiful Patek Philippe model no 3940 J achieved €40,000, demonstrating the ongoing appetite for refined dress watches,' says Israel. He adds that Cartier watches are also in demand, particularly those designed from the 1930s to the 1970s. 'These early watches represent a golden age of design and craftsmanship, that is now being rediscovered and reappreciated,' says Israel. More specifically, he suggests that pre-1973 models, especially those cased by Edmond Jaeger and featuring Jaeger or early European Watch and Clock (EWC) company movements, are particularly sought after by collectors. According to Israel, collectors are more educated now and digging deeper in the history of each brand. 'This is reviving interest in forgotten references that combine mechanical excellence with striking aesthetics,' he explains. There will be watches in Adam's next jewellery auction on September 9th. Duff from Adams Blackrock agrees that customers – male, female, old and young - know what model they are looking for. 'We get a lot of interest in Cartier watches too – particularly models from the 1990s and 2000s that are no longer in production,' she explains. Generally speaking, Duff says, customers are more interested in bracelet-style watches, rather than those with a leather strap. Omega watches are also in demand. And although neither Ross nor Adams Blackrock have sold an Omega Seamaster – famously worn by the James Bond characters since 1995 - she says customers do make reference to it quite a bit. Fans of 007 will no doubt be familiar with the product-placement of these luxurious watches, which superseded other high-end brands Rolex and Seiko, worn by previous James Bond characters in the decades before 1995. Pierce Brosnan at the launch of the Omega Seamaster Professional, the James Bond watch. 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Its next auction, on July 23rd, features an early 20th century 18 carat (ct) gold pocket watch (€1,200-€1,800). The auction also includes a lady's Rolex Cellini cream face wristwatch with Roman numerals. It has an 18ct gold case, clasp and buckle on its black leather strap. (€3,000-€4,000). 'With no VAT on pre-owned items, you can find iconic brands at a fraction of the retail cost and all our watches are carefully inspected by our specialists to ensure authenticity and quality,' says Bernon. ; ; ; ; What did it sell for? September Morning, Castle Archdale, County Fermanagh by Colin Middleton September Morning, Castle Archdale, Colin Middleton Estimate €1,200-€1,500 Hammer price €1,700 Auction house Whyte's St Peter's Church in Drogheda, watercolour and pencil drawing by Thomas Ryan St Peter's Church in Drogheda, Thomas Ryan Estimate €300-€500 Hammer price €440 Auction house Whyte's The Self-Portrait by Paul Hewson (Bono) entitled, Baked Beans Boy (€300-€500) at Whyte's Summer Online Auction Baked Beans Boy, Bono Estimate €300-€500 Hammer price €1,050 Auction house Whyte's Grevy's Zebra, Andy Warhol Grevy's Zebra by Andy Warhol Estimate £70,000-£100,000 Hammer price £115,000 (€135,000) Auction house Bonhams
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Irish Times
Wife of man being sued by John Magnier over Barne estate row says couple ‘steamrolled' into litigation they could not afford
The wife of a man being sued by John Magnier over the purported sale of a coveted Co Tipperary estate to him has told the High Court the bloodstock billionaire allegedly threatened any sale of Barne estate to anyone other than him, as he claims was agreed, would put the defendants in 'litigation for years' and cost 'millions'. Anna Thomson-Moore, the wife of defendant Richard Thomson-Moore, has told the High Court that the family had to take out a commercial loan in order to fight the case taken by Mr Magnier over the collapse of the alleged deal for the land. Mr Magnier wants the court to enforce a €15 million deal he claims he agreed with Mr Thomson-Moore in a handshake deal for 751 acres of the land in Co Tipperary on August 22nd, 2023, at Mr Magnier's Coolmore home. In her evidence on Friday, Ms Thomson-Moore told defence barrister Martin Hayden SC that on September 7th, 2023 – two weeks after the claimed handshake deal – Mr Magnier called to Barne with his son, JP, and met the Thomson-Moores, who told Mr Magnier they had to work through tax issues and involve the trustees of the estate to complete any deal. READ MORE Ms Thomson-Moore said at the end of that conversation their estate agent, John Stokes, who had walked out with the Magniers, returned to the house with two brown envelopes given to him by JP containing a total of €50,000 in cash about which she felt 'uncomfortable' and told Mr Stokes this. Ms Thomson-Moore told Mr Hayden the money was put in their safe at Barne and that the following morning they decided to return the money as Ms Thomson-Moore was now 'very uncomfortable' with the situation. The Magnier side has told the court the money was a token of 'appreciation' to the Thomson-Moores for letting the Magnier side on to the land before any sale was finalised. John Magnier arriving at the High Court in Dublin in May. Photograph: Collins Courts The Magnier side was ultimately gazumped by Irish-born, US-based construction magnate Maurice Regan, who offered €22.25 million and was made the preferred bidder. Mr Regan is not a party to the case. The Magnier side has sued the Barne estate, Mr Thomson-Moore and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd group, seeking to enforce the purported deal, which they say had been 'unequivocally' agreed. The Barne defendants say there was never any such agreement, as they needed the consent of the trustees to finalise any agreement, and subsequently they preferred to sell the estate to Mr Regan. The Barne estate has been held for the benefit of Richard Thomson-Moore and others by a Jersey trust. Mr Magnier claims the deal had been agreed at the kitchen meeting and there had been no mention of it being subject to trustee approval, which he has said to the court on numerous occasions. Ms Thomson-Moore told the High Court on Friday Mr Magnier was told a number of times before the alleged deal that any agreement was subject to the consent of the trustees. Both sides entered into an exclusivity agreement from August 31st to September 30th, 2023, stipulating the estate would not permit itself or its representatives to solicit or encourage any expression of interest, inquiry or offer on the property from anyone other than Mr Magnier. During September 2023, said Ms Thomson-Moore, Mr Regan had offered around €20 million for the estate but the trustees recommended honouring the exclusivity agreement with Mr Magnier. Ms Thomson-Moore said she was 'frustrated' that the trustees were not looking at the higher offer at all. After the expiry of the exclusivity deal, she said there was a 'flurry' of calls in early October 2023, during which time Mr Stokes told the Thomson-Moores Mr Magnier had told the estate agent he would take the matter to court and 'tie this up for years and millions in litigation'. Ms Thomson-Moore said a commercial loan was taken out by the defendants under Barne Estate Ltd to provide liquidity to defend the Magnier action. 'We did not have the means to defend these proceedings without a loan. I think it is important to have access to justice and we were being steamrolled into proceedings because of a lack of cash and it would not be fair. It felt like an onslaught of proceedings that kicked off very quickly,' she told the court. Ms Thomson-Moore, a solicitor, said the stress and impact of the proceedings initiated against them had been 'enormous' and that this had become 'oppressive'. She said it also had delayed the family's plans to move to her native Australia to attend to the health needs of their son, who needs around-the-clock care. The case continues before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Irish Times
Ex-TD Violet-Anne Wynne says she cannot pay rent and is depending on goodwill
Former independent Clare TD Violet-Anne Wynne told a court on Friday she was not able to pay her weekly rent of €300 this week, and that herself and her family are depending on the goodwill of others. At Ennis District Court, Ms Wynne, a mother of six, disclosed that she is living on 'goodwill from a lot of people' and 'sometimes obviously going to other people who lend money and add on interest'. Ms Wynne was in court after being asked to substantiate her claim, with a statement of means, that she currently has no income to pay off a residual €6,500 debt to a former constituency office worker, Fiona Smyth, from a €11,500 Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) award made against her . On Friday, Judge Alec Gabbett ordered Ms Wynne to pay off the €6,500 debt in instalments of €50 per week. Ms Wynne said that her partner, John Mountaine, is self-employed but has been unable to work since mid-May due to suffering epilepsy seizures four times a day. Ms Wynne said she has received loans from family 'and they are of the opinion that I am not able to pay back the money that they have provided to me and family for the likes of shopping, clothes and stuff like that for my children'. Ms Wynne disclosed that household bills total €895 each week but there is only an income of €500, leaving a shortfall every week of €395. Judge Gabbett told Ms Wynne: 'I need you to be more forthcoming. There is a serious deficit of information here. There may be a cogent explanation for some of this but in the absence of paper it is problematic.' Ms Wynne said: 'It is not a case that I have withheld information.' Judge Gabbett said that if the debt is not paid, it is a criminal offence, 'and that is quite serious for someone like you, a former member of the Dáil'. Ms Wynne said that disability benefit for her partner is something she will look into. Judge Gabbett also told Ms Wynne that he needs a letter from the Clerk of the Dáil about how much she is entitled to in a TD termination payment. He said: 'There has to be a paper trail.' Ms Wynne said: 'I got two payments in one lump in a termination payment and I paid €5,000 [to Ms Smyth] from that.' Asked how much she received in her TD termination payment, Ms Wynne said: 'I don't have the details to hand.' Last August, the WRC ordered Ms Wynne to pay the €11,500 after finding that she had unfairly dismissed Ms Smyth. Ms Wynne - who had received a TD's annual salary of €113,679 – lost her seat in Clare in the November general election, where she had stood as an independent candidate, receiving only 310 first preference votes. In the 2020 general election she had topped the poll as a Sinn Féin candidate. Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to September 19th.
