Written answers

Tuesday, 11 October 2011

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Regulatory Reform

8:00 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the meeting of the annual regulatory forum on 2 June last; the issues discussed and actions agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28198/11]

Photo of Dominic HanniganDominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of staff that are working in the better regulation unit of his Department; their roles; the remit of this unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28797/11]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos.170 and 197 together.

In line with the 2009 Government Statement on Economic Regulation, the Taoiseach and relevant Cabinet Ministers met with key economic regulators on 2 June this year. The meeting was chaired by the Taoiseach and attended by the Ministers for Finance; Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, and Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport was represented by his Secretary General. Representatives of the Central Bank, the Commission for Energy Regulation, the Commission for Communications Regulation, the Commission for Aviation Regulation, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, the National Transport Authority, the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Authority were also in attendance.

The purpose of the meeting was to examine ways in which Ireland's regulation of major sectors of the economy, such as energy, financial services, transport and post and telecommunications, can contribute to stronger economic recovery through facilitating investment and employment growth and minimising business costs. The agenda specifically included discussions of: investment and innovation; business costs; consumer welfare and competition as well as broader regulatory issues.

Participants at the Forum recommitted their organisations to cost minimisation and investment promotion in the interest of maintaining and growing jobs. All parties agreed to work together on developing benchmarks on utility costs and quality. There was also agreement on the need to progress the statutory underpinning of improved governance and accountability arrangements.

The Better Regulation function has historically been shared between the Departments of the Taoiseach and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. During the re-configuration of Departments following the appointment of this Government, the staff previously assigned to the Better Regulation Unit within the Department of the Taoiseach transferred to my Department but have been assigned to other duties. There is no specific Better Regulation Unit within my Department and the locus of responsibility for the Better Regulation agenda has yet to be finalised.

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