Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Yes. Before legislation can get through, it must undergo that process. It cannot happen unless it makes sense.

On the business group, this is so that not just people in the system, as good as they are, are involved. People from outside business have a say and can put forward their case, not just on new but also on existing regulations, so we can try to get away from slavishly following something because an Act was passed 40 years ago. It will help us get rid of that. This process will be very helpful on issues in competitiveness and doing away with the disproportionate compliance burden on whoever is in a society, not just business.

There have been a number of other reports since the OECD survey. The examinations are finished on the engineering, architecture and dentistry professions. In a number of other examinations work has finished in Departments, with upcoming legislation. The pharmacy review group has completed its work. In a number of areas, such as the legal profession, the work has been completed and will form an amendment to legislation.

Much of this is about restrictive practices and areas in which there is a need to reform the law and give more transparency and accountability, not allowing vested interests to hold sway. The legislation being prepared on the licensed trade, and the pubs and licensed liquor trades, has gone for drafting, which will result in streamlining and modernisation.

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