Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his main priorities for the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18983/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The new Programme for Government sets out this Government's priorities in all key policy areas for the coming years. Implementation of the commitments in the Programme will be a major element informing my Department's new Strategy Statement for 2008-2010.

Some of the main priorities for me, as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, are as follows:

Working to enhance competitiveness and trade, foster entrepreneurship and encourage innovation development among indigenous enterprise and FDI companies in both the manufacturing and services sectors of our economy;

Ensuring my Department continues to deliver on the wide range of commitments falling within our remit under "Towards 2016";

Ensuring implementation of the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in order to ensure Ireland's continued progress towards securing its position as one of the world's advanced knowledge economies;

Continually examining the regulatory environment for business to balance the need for regulation on the one hand, and the desire not to over burden enterprise on the other;

Working with my colleague the Minister for Finance to maintain tax strategies which underpin Ireland's productivity and competitiveness levels;

Examining Company Law issues in order to ensure that the current regulatory system delivers efficient and competitive markets with high standards of corporate governance;

Effective implementation of the new Green Card employment permit scheme;

Continuing to develop policies to facilitate greater labour market participation by disabled persons and older members of the workforce;

Working with colleagues across Government on our environmental agenda; and

Ensuring that competition thrives and costs to the consumer are kept to a minimum in collaboration with the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority.