Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is satisfied that costs affecting the economic situation here have been adequately addressed over the past five years; the extent to which obstacles to job creation in this regard have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35411/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) monitors business cost and competitiveness issues facing the Irish economy and offers recommendations on policy actions required to enhance Ireland's position in these areas. The NCC's 2011 report on the "Costs of Doing Business in Ireland", which was published last June, notes that between February 2002 and April 2008, Ireland experienced a 31% loss in cost competitiveness based on Harmonised Competitiveness Indicators. Since 2008, Ireland has regained some of its lost competitiveness. However, deeper structural improvements are necessary to ensure that costs do not rise again as the economy recovers.

Improving our cost competitiveness is a key to creating the right environment to support job creation. The Costs of Doing Business report analyses Ireland's cost competitiveness across five key business inputs: Labour costs, Property costs, Utility costs, Business and Professional Services costs and Indirect business costs such as consumer prices. The 2011 report made a number of recommendations in relation to each of these areas. I have brought these recommendations to the attention of my Ministerial colleagues in Government and I will continue to work with them to identify further actions that can be taken to improve our competitiveness, reduce costs to business and remove obstacles to employment creation.

The National Competitiveness Council also publishes, each year, "Ireland's Competitiveness Challenge", which outlines the main challenges to Ireland's competitiveness and the policy responses required to meet them. The 2011 report will be submitted to the Government in the coming weeks for consideration. I have asked the NCC to ensure that the report focuses on specific actionable proposals that will drive Ireland's continued economic recovery.