Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 192: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff in terms of whole-time equivalents she has allocated within her Department to support the better regulation group's work; the financial resources that have been spent in support of such work to date in 2008; the expected expenditure for the remainder of 2008; the budget for 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45705/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department of Social and Family Affairs did not have a representative on the High Level Group on Business Regulation.

The Department contributes to the reduction of the administrative burden on business by the participation of a Principal Officer on the relevant Inter-Departmental Group chaired by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

A process has commenced, in the Department, to measure the administrative cost to business of regulatory provisions in social welfare legislation with a view to contributing to the achievement of the Government target to reduce these burdens by 25% by 2012.

The Programme Evaluation Unit in the Department supports the work of the Regulatory Impact Assessment network through participation by an Assistant Principal and Administrative Officer. Meetings of the network, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, take place three or four times per year. The Programme Evaluation Unit also supports the implementation of Regulatory Impact Analysis in the Department.

No specific budget has been allocated in the Department to the reduction of the administrative burden on business.