Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has decided on a benchmark against which the Government's promise to cut business compliance costs by 25% can be judged. [7838/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am assuming that the Deputy's question refers to the reduction in 'administrative burdens' — or so-called 'red tape' — on business. In March 2007, the European Council agreed that "administrative burdens arising from EU legislation should be reduced by 25% by 2012. Taking into account the different starting points and traditions, the European Council invites Member States to set their own national targets of comparable ambition within their spheres of competence by 2008."

Prior to that Spring European Council, the Government agreed that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment should lead the cross-Departmental and agency drive, and put in place a mechanism under the Secretary General of his Department, to drive this agenda at national level.

As part of this effort, I established the High-level Group on Business Regulation, under the chairmanship of the Secretary General of my Department. The High-level Group comprises representatives of Government Departments and Agencies, the business sector and a representative of ICTU. In its work to date, the Group has been examining concrete measures to reduce the administrative burdens in five policy areas — Taxation, Statistics, Environment, Health and Safety and Employment & Company Law — which are considered to impose the highest burdens on business. I expect the High Level Group to submit its initial report to me by July, 2008.

Before setting a definitive national target in response to the European Council invitation, I am at present consulting with my Government colleagues on what processes might be needed to assess the extent of administrative burdens on Irish business and on the measures that have been undertaken or are planned to reduce that burden.