Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 to 23, inclusive, together.

Regulation, and the extent of any regulatory or administrative burden, has recently become a greater focus at European Union level and nationally as a means to further enhance competitiveness. At a European level, both simplification and implementation are important Commission priorities. The Commission is striving to simplify and lighten the administrative burden of European Union regulations to ensure they are proportionate, stable, coherent and technologically neutral.

Likewise, our national regulatory framework is a central focus for the Government as we strive to support competitiveness at a time of international economic uncertainty. In line with the programme for Government, we published an action plan on competitiveness and productivity on 10 September this year. The action plan includes actions across government to ensure the development of a more effective regulatory system which will support economic growth.

These actions reflect priority areas where targeted public policy intervention can have the greatest impact. These include a red-tape challenge to reduce regulation for SMEs; the application of the SME test by Government Departments to all measures, in particular policy initiatives where it is proposed to increase costs on small businesses; expediting the Environmental (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill; commencing reforms, as we have done, under the Planning and Development Act 2024 to enhance delivery of infrastructure; and implementing the outstanding recommendations from the review of the administration of civil justice review group report.

Increased regulatory burden has also been identified as a barrier to infrastructure development and delivery. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, supported by the work of the accelerating infrastructure task force, this morning, with Government colleagues including me, the Tánaiste and the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, published a plan which will include extensive regulatory reforms aimed at accelerating the delivery of critical infrastructure.

Today's plan provides the blueprint to reduce complexity and blockages in the system and deliver infrastructure with urgency. The changes we are initiating today are vital if we are to maintain our competitive position in an ever uncertain world. They are also necessary to support our citizens with top class public services, job security, access to housing and all other facilities necessary to enjoy the stability and good quality of life we are all entitled to expect.

The actions are ambitious but achievable, and delivering them will require commitment and co-operation across a broad and diverse range of stakeholders, from political, legal and public sectors, industry and society as a whole. We have established a cost-of-business advisory forum where business owners and representative bodies can speak directly to decision-makers about the real-world impact of regulations, fees and operational challenges. The work of that forum is under way. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is working on the simplification omnibus packages put forward by the European Commission in a range of policy areas, most recently the Commission's digital simplification omnibus package, which was published last month.

My Department will play a co-ordinating role across these different regulatory reform initiatives, as outlined in the action plan on competitiveness and productivity, including the establishment of a central economic regulators' forum, and we will work with the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and other Government colleagues on that agenda.

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