Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Direct feedback from business was facilitated over the past 15 months through the Business Regulation Forum, which comprised representatives of the business community and business representative organisations. In 2006, the forum collected evidence from businesses about regulatory burdens in a number of ways. Over 40 submissions were received from businesses, organisations and individuals. Six case studies were undertaken on behalf of the forum to understand companies' day-to-day issues with regulation. Two pilot studies were carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the forum to investigate the applicability for Ireland of the standard cost model, which is a means of identifying and measuring administrative burdens. More than 30 businesses were consulted in detail about their experiences as part of this process, with two regulations investigated.

I welcome the survey of business attitudes to regulation conducted by the ESRI in 2006 on behalf of the Department of the Taoiseach. The survey collated the views, attitudes and concerns of over 800 firms on the impact of regulations on them. The Business Regulation Forum took these sources of information into account in producing its report, which I launched yesterday. The Government has asked me to lead a Government-wide effort to drive this agenda forward. I have asked the Secretary General of my Department to lead a cross-departmental agency effort, working directly with business, to examine ways of reducing the regulatory burden. It is intended to bring the regulating Departments and agencies into direct contact with business representatives. The initial focus will be on those areas which are causing the greatest burden.

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