Quills Retail Limited, which has stores in Killarney and Kenmare, has admitted to tampering with clothes made in Pakistan to claim they were made in Ireland.
Quills Retail Ltd, trading as Quills Woollen Market, High Street, Killarney and Main Street, Kenmare was before Killarney District Court today on three summonses by the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission.
‘Ring of Kerry’ and ‘Killarney Ireland’ sweatshirts had their original ‘Made in Pakistan’ labels cut and tags were added to give the misleading idea they were made in Ireland, the court heard.
Solicitor Padraig O’Connell, representing Padraig Quill Jnr, told the court a guilty plea was being entered on two of the summonses.
The court heard that on September 18th, following a consumer complaint, four authorised officers of the CPPC conducted an inspection of the Killarney premises.
The labels saying the country of origin on a hooded ‘Killarney Ireland’ sweatshirt appeared to have been deliberately cut and a swing tag on the garment said ‘Made in Ireland’.
CCPC authorised officer Sinéad Tyrrell said she conducted a search through the sweatshirts and found one had a fully intact ‘Made in Pakistan’ label.
A follow up investigation on November 7th, in Quills Kenmare store, found a similar scenario, this time with hooded ‘Ring of Kerry’ sweatshirts.
Again, in Kenmare it appeared the labels had been tampered with and again they found one specifying 'Made in Pakistan' while a tag said 'Made in Ireland'.
The court heard that Mr Quill e-mailed the CCPC in January accepting responsibility.
His solicitor, Padraig O’Connell, stated a mistake had been made in furnishing instructions to the manufacturer of the tags and these should have said designed in Ireland, not made in Ireland.
He added it was a large company, employing 80, and there were no previous convictions.
Judge David Waters asked if the labels saying where they were manufactured were removed and Ms Tyrell handed photos into court, to show they were essentially cut off and an additional tag applied saying made in Ireland.
State solicitor Diane Reidy said the penalties were a class B fine, of up to €4,000, and or six months in prison.
Solicitor Padraig O’Connell said the company director was a young man who had come through the ranks of a company which started in the square in Kenmare.
He had entered a plea very early and going forward there would be far more oversight. There would be significant reputational damage, the solicitor said, pleading for mitigation.
Judge Waters said it wasn't "an accidental matter”, it had been a deliberate act to mislead; high tourist numbers relied on it being manufactured in Ireland.
There had been a deliberate attempt to remove the tag by scissors on each of the sweatshirts, the judge said.
Judge Waters said he accepted there would be reputational damage.
The judge imposed a conviction and a fine of €500 on the first count and awarded costs, which State solicitor Diane Reidy said should be €1,000 including expenses of the investigation.
The second summons was taken into account.
