Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

It is precisely because the Taoiseach launched the document on better regulation in January 2004, but did nothing since that I asked this question. It is all very fine for the Minister to stand here and say what is in the Government White Paper. We know what is in it, but nothing has happened.

The Minister stands accused of imposing additional regulatory burdens on small businesses in recent years. The fact that he has acknowledged there is a problem means he, as part of the Government, has been somewhat responsible for some of these additional regulatory burdens on small businesses. In light of the problem in terms of the regulatory burden on small businesses in particular, will he set a target for the Government to reduce the administrative and legislative burdens in the same way as the Dutch Government did?

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