Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The issues being examined are where there are significant negative impacts on national competitiveness, significant negative impacts on the socially excluded or vulnerable groups, significant environmental damage or where the proposals involve a significant policy change in an economic market, have a significant impact on competition or customers, will disproportionately impinge on the rights of citizens, impose a disproportionate compliance burden or where the cost to the Exchequer or third parties is significant. These are the types of areas being examined. Before legislation concerning regulation is introduced, this process must be gone through, which is very good. Often, what happens is these things are put on the Statute Book and people find out later about the burden.

See this speech in context