Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will start on the Deputy's final point first with regard to insurance. HE will be aware that the Minister of State, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, is leading the Government's insurance reform programme. Significant progress has been made on the new personal injury guidelines and the office to promote competition in the insurance sector. The work to reform the duty of care legislation is at an advanced stage. We expect it will complete its passage through both Houses before the summer recess. It will then be enacted. In some respects, that is the final major piece of the jigsaw of reforms in this area.

On the rental sector, I have given a commitment that in the budget I intend to introduce measures to support investment in the rental sector. The precise timing, the nature and the detail of all those measures is a matter for consideration as part of the budget process. I cannot go into any more detail on that.

The Deputy raised the issue of enterprise tax reliefs. I am reviewing these in the context of the budget. While we have had tremendous success, which I believe will continue, in foreign direct investment there is a need to focus on the indigenous economy. Some of these schemes have been very successful, others less so. We need to see if we can improve them to make them more effective. That work is now under way in my Department.

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