Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding his consideration of the report of the Enterprise Strategy Group; if the Government has specifically decided not to implement certain recommendations of the report; the recommendations in respect of which decisions have been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12103/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government recently considered and endorsed the report of the high level committee that was asked to look at the most appropriate implementation arrangements for the recommendations of the Enterprise Strategy Group, ESG. The Government is broadly supportive of the policy directions recommended by the group, as underlined by its intention to implement, either in full or with some modifications, most of the ESG's recommendations. Details of the position in relation to these recommendations are set out in the action plan which can be found on my Department's website at www.entemp.ie/enterprise/support/ esgactionplan.htm.

As regards recommendations which it is specifically not intended to implement, we have decided not to implement the recommendation that existing regulators for networked sectors should be replaced by a new regulatory body covering all networked sectors. In looking at international experience, the Government remains to be convinced that regulatory amalgamation on the scale proposed would be an efficient model. For example, there is a danger that a single regulator could give rise to slower decision-making and less focus on smaller sectors compared with more dominant ones. This matter is one for my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

The Government decided to consider further the potential for the disaggregation of State procurement contracts for telecommunication services and my colleagues, the Ministers for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and Finance will be dealing with this matter.

The central theme of the ESG's recommendations concerns a strategic evolution to a more competitive, innovative and knowledge centred economy. To help create quality and sustainable employment we have to make sure Ireland continues to be an attractive place in which to invest and from which to undertake increasingly profitable business. Part of this process involves listening to business and responding to its needs with greater agility and flexibility as regards policy design and implementation. As a contribution to this process I may invite one or more enterprise members of the expert group to make a presentation on particular issues to the Government meeting at which I will report on policy developments in the context of the ESG's report.

The ESG's report makes a valuable contribution to embedding strategies appropriate to the new realities and challenges facing the Irish economy. The ESG's policy prescriptions are particularly relevant to my Department and the enterprise support agencies that report to me. As part of the ESG's implementation process, I will be making twice yearly reports to Government on progress achieved in putting the Government approved ESG's recommendations in place.