Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Can the Minister of State clarify for us that the idea of a regulatory impact assessment is to enable us, and no doubt the Minister, assess the probable impact of his initial proposals and whether they add unduly to the regulatory burden? We have no independent assessment of what this Bill is likely to do. There has been considerable concern raised with us about the regulatory impact of this and a vital cog in the wheel is missing. At this stage, it is my view that it is unfair that we are debating a Bill all about regulation without that basic tool of analysis that has been promised in all of the reform of the Oireachtas and it has been making our job difficult.