Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the date on which he intends to extend the voluntary 15-day rule relating to prompt payments to the Health Service Executive, local authorities and State agencies as foreseen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1381/11]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As one of the commitments in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014, (Section 2.2.5, Page 34 and Section 2.5.2, Page 42) published on 24 November 2010, the Government has decided to extend the 15 day prompt payment rule beyond Government Departments to the wider public sector, in order to further assist the cash-flow of SMEs.

In addition, under Section 2 (IV), page 13 of the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland – Programme Documents - published on the Department of Finance website on 1 December 2010, and approved by the Dáil in a Motion passed on 15 December 2010, the Government has also committed to extend the voluntary 15 day rule relating to prompt payments to the Health Service Executive, Local Authorities and State Agencies. This specific action is to be completed, as part of the Second Review of Actions by the Government, by the end of Quarter 2 of 2011 (i.e. by 30 June 2011). I am in the process of writing to Government Departments regarding the rolling out of this initiative to all the public sector bodies under their aegis, in order comply with the above 30 June 2011, deadline.