Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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348. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the recommendations that have been made by the interdepartmental group on the retail sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4200/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The 2013 Action Plan for Jobs contained a number of measures aimed at supporting the retail sector. These included an initiative to increase the number of small businesses trading on-line and a project to streamline business licence application procedures for the retail sector. In addition, the Action Plan included a commitment to establish an Interdepartmental Group to consider further possible measures which could be taken to support job creation/retention in the sector .

The Interdepartmental Group was convened in May of last year and held a number of meetings with the main representative bodies for the retail sector and other stakeholders, including practitioners, workers representatives and the INOU. The purpose of the meetings was to get a better understanding of the key issues for the sector and to give the participants an opportunity to outline their ideas for actions that could be taken by the Government to support the sector.

Suggestions received from this consultation process covered the following broad topics:

- Business Costs/Administration

- Planning Issues

- Skills/Training for the sector

- Social Welfare System

- Access to Finance

- Government Administration

- Hidden Economy

- Taxation

These proposals were assessed by the Interdepartmental Group and, in accordance with the Group's Terms of Reference, a short report was prepared, outlining the actions recommended for implementation in the context of the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs.

I am currently finalising the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government, and it will include a number of specific actions to support the Retail sector. The Action Plan will be published shortly, following its approval by Government.