Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action he is taking to reduce costs for business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3324/13]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Reducing costs for business is a central theme within the Action Plan for Jobs. The Action Plan includes an extensive range of measures across Government which will help to reduce costs for business generally and support job creation.

My Department and Agencies have undertaken several initiatives to support this objective, including:

- Reforming the statutory wage setting mechanisms;

- Reducing administrative burdens by 24.9% in the areas of Employment Law, Company Law and Health & Safety Law, amounting to annual savings for business of almost €207 million;

- Introducing a reduction of 30% in the fees charged by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board to respondents to personal injury claims from €850 to €600;

- Reductions were also made last year in various fees charged by the Registrar of Friendly Societies to co-operative societies, and by the Patents Office for certain patents and design services;

- Publishing the Companies Bill which will lead to significant reductions in administrative burden for business.

There are also a range of cost reduction measures being pursued by other Government Ministers through the work of their own Departments and bodies under their remit. Examples include the freezing or reduction of the Annual Rate of Valuation (ARV) by 87 out of 88 Local Authorities in 2012. Updates on these, and all other commitments in the Action Plan for Jobs, are detailed in the Quarterly Progress Reports on the Plan which are available on my Department’s website, www.enterprise.gov.ie.

I am currently coordinating the finalisation of the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government. This year’s Action Plan will build on the progress made last year and will set out a number of new initiatives to further reduce business costs and support job creation. The 2013 Action Plan will be published in the coming weeks.