Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

In March 2008, the Government decided to reduce the administrative burden of domestic regulation on business by 25% by 2012. This target was set in response to the invitation to member states by the European Council to set national targets in line with the European Commission's 25% target reduction in the burden of EU regulations. My Department is responsible for devising the methodology to be used across Government, for co-ordinating the work across Departments and agencies and for reporting to Government on progress. Initially, all Departments will be required to list the information obligations which their regulations impose on business. From that listing, Departments will assess which requirements are the most burdensome and will then measure the cost to business of the most burdensome requirements. At that point the most appropriate approach to achieving the 25% target will be re-examined.

The Government also agreed that, in regard to future regulations, all Departments should measure the administrative cost on business and specifically examine the impact on small business. The approach to identifying and measuring administrative burdens will be kept simple and not overly bureaucratic, while at the same time being robust and applied consistently across Departments. The regulatory impact analysis, RIA, of new legislation is a matter for individual Departments. In the case of my Department, the following RIAs have been undertaken on current legislative proposals: Employment Law Compliance Bill 2007, Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Applications) Regulations 2007, European Communities (Ecodesign Requirements for Certain Energy-using Products) Regulations 2007, Control of Exports Bill 2007, the Chemicals Regulation and Enforcement Bill, the general scheme of the companies consolidation and reform Bill; and the EU shareholders' rights directive.

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