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

Question 204: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of staff in terms of whole time equivalents he has allocated within his 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [45700/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Better Regulation, in general, forms an important part of the Government's drive for greater economic competitiveness and modernisation of the public service. In particular, the principles of better regulation underpin my Department's extensive policy and legislative programmes and is an integral part of the work of all staff engaged in such work. As such, there is no specific budget applied to the Department's activity in this area. In addition, my Department is represented on a number of different cross-Departmental groups associated with aspects of the better regulation agenda. The Department is represented at Assistant Principal level on the RIA Network, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach to share and develop best practice in relation to the conduct of Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) across Government Departments. The network meets a number of times a year and was extensively involved in the central review of RIA published in July 2008.

On foot of the Government Decision in March 2008 which set a target of 25% reduction in administrative burdens on business arising from domestic regulations, my Department is also represented at Principal Officer level on an inter-departmental senior officials group, established by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in July 2008, to drive and co-ordinate the identification, measurement and reduction in such burdens. My Department is working towards the cross-Departmental target date of end-2009 for the identification and prioritisation of information obligations on business, which are within the remit of my Department, and to have the appropriate measurement process in place for the calculation of savings to business. In accordance with the Government Decision, the intention is to effect all such savings by end-2012.

My Department is also represented at Assistant Secretary level on the cross-Departmental High Level Group on Business Regulation, chaired by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which is tasked with taking concrete measures to reduce administrative burdens in five specific regulatory areas (including the environment), based primarily on suggestions put forward by the business sector. The Report of the High Level Group was published in July 2008. It identified both cost savings already achieved for business as a result of changes to administrative procedures and those that should accrue as a result of changes made, including in relation to waste collection permits.

At an EU level, the Spring European Council agreed at its meeting in March 2007 that reducing administrative burdens was an important measure for boosting Europe's economy, especially through its impact on SMEs. The Council agreed therefore that administrative burdens arising from EU legislation should be reduced by 25% by 2012. My Department has been working with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in contributing to this project as appropriate.