Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 336: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if his Department was required to take part in the interdepartmental group on administrative burden reduction; if his Department has yet listed information obligations that his Department's regulations impose on business; if so, the number of information obligations listed; if his Department has yet assessed which requirements are the most burdensome; if his Department has measured the actual cost to business of the most burdensome requirements and if so, the total cost [40354/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department was represented on an Inter-Departmental Group established and chaired by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation to oversee and monitor progress on reducing the administrative burden of regulations on Irish-based business by 25%.

My Department has fully participated in the process to identify and reduce administrative burdens based on guidance from the lead Department, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. Officials from my Department and agencies have attended training sessions, participated at bilateral and Inter-Departmental Group meetings and followed up on any queries raised by officials from the lead Department. As the Deputy will be aware, the first phase of the Administrative Burdens reduction process involved the identification and listing of information obligations/administrative burdens while it was proposed that a second phase would deal with the detailed measurement and simplification of such burdens.

Under phase one, a comprehensive examination of all information obligations and administrative burdens placed on business was carried out in all divisions and agencies within my Department's remit. My Department did not find any measures in place which imposed unfair or unnecessary burdens on business. Because my Department did not identify administrative burdens that required further action as part of the prioritised approach it was not necessary to proceed to the second phase. The lead Department was advised of this position in writing. My Department continues to participate in the Inter-Departmental Group.