Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy this will be included in the 2013 programme. We have been working on reform of the work permits system. We will have legislation in the new term and we plan to make it much more accessible in order that where there are skills shortages, there will be a speedy and easy response and people will have certainty in respect of how the system works. I am confident that I will fulfil the Deputy's expectations.

I did not see the reply to the parliamentary question to the Minister for Finance but each of his budgets has progressively improved the start-up and research and development incentives in the tax code, the tax breaks for companies in the early years of operation and so on. There has been a consistent programme of reducing VAT and PRSI and, clearly, he is very much engaged in making the changes necessary to facilitate job creation. That is central to what he seeks to achieve.

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