Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I am interested in the figure of 100 because I did not know the number. We are passing a law which will apply to those 100 companies, each one of which is competing with others which are not subject to this regulation. We are setting a standard which does not apply in any other part of the world and which other countries do not intend to introduce. We are saying it will apply to Ireland because we want to be whiter than white. However, we are doing this without a regulatory impact assessment which the State and the Government declared they would introduce. This is an impossible step for the State to take if it wants to be able to compete in businesses where there are competitors to whom this does not apply. It will apply only to Irish companies, not non-Irish companies. Some 100 Irish companies must now add resources which other companies will not have to do. We are doing this because of one instance which happened ten years ago. It is bad to make decisions on that basis. I urge the Minister of State to reconsider.