Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 340: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the occasions on which he did not carry out any form of regulatory impact analysis on statutory instruments, Bills and EU directives for 2008 since June 2008; the reason in each case for that decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46062/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the occasions on which his Department carried out a screening regulatory impact analysis on statutory instruments, Bills and EU directives since June 2008; if, in each instance, the decision was taken to carry out a full regulatory impact analysis subsequent to the screening regulatory impact analysis; if no such decision was taken, the reason in each case that no full regulatory impact analysis was carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46077/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 to 341, inclusive, together.

I remain fully committed to contributing to the achievement of the 25 per cent target for the reduction in administrative burdens on business arising from domestic regulations, as well as to the regulatory impact analysis (RIA) process as an important means of enhancing the quality of political and administrative decision making.

However, within its ambit, the Department is very much a light regulator, so its contribution to both the burden reduction and RIA processes is correspondingly proportioned.

The Department has actively participated on the Inter-Departmental Group on Administrative Burden Reduction chaired by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and it has been progressing apace the associated burden identification and estimation tasks.

In whole-time equivalent terms, a modest portion of an Assistant Principal Officer's time is assigned to co-ordinate this work within the Department, with contributory assignments of resources from Divisions across the Department. In addition, on occasion, as and when required, contributions from senior management, up to and including the Secretary General, are made. Given the organisationally diffuse nature of these activities, it is not readily possible to estimate the associated financial costs arising from these work commitments.

As the Deputy will be aware, RIAs are required to be conducted in relation to: all proposals for primary legislation involving changes to the regulatory framework (subject to some exceptions); significant Statutory Instruments; and proposals for EU Directives and significant EU Regulations when they are published by the European Commission.

Since June 2008, the Department has neither introduced proposals for primary legislation involving regulatory change or significant Statutory Instruments nor dealt with published proposals for EU Directives or significant EU Regulations. Accordingly, since June 2008, the Department has not conducted any RIAs, whether screening or full, nor was it required to do so.