PART IV

Supply of Services

39. —Subject to section 40, in every contract for the supply of a service where the supplier is acting in the course of a business, the following terms are implied—

(a) that the supplier has the necessary skill to render the service,

(b) that he will supply the service with due skill, care and diligence,

(c) that, where materials are used, they will be sound and reasonably fit for the purpose for which they are required, and

(d) that, where goods are supplied under the contract, they will be of merchantable quality within the meaning of section 14 (3) of the Act of 1893 (inserted by section 10 of this Act).

40. —(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, any term of a contract implied by virtue of section 39 may be negatived or varied by an express term of the contract or by the course of dealing between the parties or by usage, if the usage be such as to bind both parties to the contract, except that where the recipient of the service deals as consumer it must be shown that the express term is fair and reasonable and has been specifically brought to his attention.

(2) An express term does not negative a term implied by this Part unless inconsistent therewith.

(3) The reference in subsection (1) to a term negativing or varying a term implied by virtue of section 39 is a reference to a term which purports to exclude or restrict, or has the effect of excluding or restricting, the operation of any provision of that section, or the exercise of a right conferred by any provision of that section, or any liability of the supplier for breach of a term implied by any provision of that section.

(4) Any reference in this section to a term of a contract includes a reference to a term which, although not contained in a contract, is incorporated in the contract by another term of the contract.

(5) Nothing in this section shall invalidate—

(a) a term of an agreement for the supply of electricity exempting the supplier from liability (arising otherwise than from his negligence) for an interruption, variation, or defect of supply;

(b) a term of an agreement for the international carriage of passengers or goods by land, sea or air, including an agreement between parties whose places of business or residences are situated in the State.

(6) Section 39 shall not apply to a contract for the carriage of passengers or goods by land, sea, air or inland waterway from one place to another within the State until such date as the Minister, after consultation with the Minister for Transport, by order provides whether in relation to such contracts generally or in relation to contracts of a class defined in the order in such manner and by reference to such matters as the Minister, after such consultation, thinks proper.

41. —(1) Subsections (2) and (3) apply to any statement likely to be taken as indicating that a right or the exercise of a right conferred by, or a liability arising by virtue of, section 39 is restricted or excluded otherwise than under section 40.

(2) It shall be an offence for a person in the course of a business to do any of the following things in relation to a statement to which subsection (1) refers:

(a) to display on any part of any premises a notice that includes any such statement, or

(b) to publish or cause to be published an advertisement which contains any such statement, or

(c) to supply goods bearing, or goods in a container bearing, any such statement, or

(d) otherwise to furnish or to cause to be furnished a document including any such statement.

(3) For the purposes of this section a statement to the effect that goods will not be exchanged, or that money will not be refunded, or that only credit notes will be given for goods returned, shall be treated as a statement to which subsection (1) refers unless it is so clearly qualified that it cannot be construed as applicable in circumstances in which the recipient of the service may be seeking to exercise a right conferred by any provision of section 39.

(4) It shall be an offence for a person in the course of a business to furnish to the recipient of a service goods bearing, or goods in a container bearing, or any document including, any statement, irrespective of its legal effect, which sets out, limits or describes rights conferred on the recipient or liabilities to the recipient in relation to goods acquired by him or any statement likely to be taken as such a statement, unless that statement is accompanied by a clear and conspicuous declaration that the contractual rights which the recipient enjoys by virtue of section 39 are in no way prejudiced by the relevant statement.

42. —Where the proper law of a contract for the supply of a service in the course of a business would, apart from a term that it should be the law of some other country or a term to the like effect, be the law of Ireland or where any such contract contains a term which purports to substitute, or has the effect of substituting, provisions of the law of some other country for all or any of the provisions of sections 39 and 40, those sections shall, notwithstanding that term, apply to the contract.