Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has had any discussions with SME representatives in relation to regulatory impact assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31431/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The preparation of Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) is an important element of the legislative process and one that my Department takes seriously. In general, where the Department proposes new policies, consultations with interest groups including employer and employee representative groups and full public consultations inform the contents of Regulatory Impact Assessments. The engagement usually takes place prior to the RIA being drawn up, and views expressed in targeted or public consultations are taken into account.

Since the start of this Government in June 2020, several RIAs have been prepared where required.

An RIA was undertaken on the Sick Leave Bill 2021. In September 2020, the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) Sub-Group on Employment Legislation/Regulation convened to commence a consultation process on the Bill. A full public consultation to complement the LEEF input was launched in November 2020 to which SMEs and representative organisations provided responses.

An RIA was undertaken on the General Scheme of a Plan of Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency Bill. ISME was involved in consultations on development of policy leading to the Plan of Action in meetings of November 2020 and May 2021.

An RIA was undertaken on the Consumer Rights Bill 2022 (now Consumer Rights Act 2022). My Department conducted the SME test as part of the RIA process but did not consult SMEs directly as part of preparing the RIA. A comprehensive public/stakeholder consultation was held on the Bill in 2021.

An RIA was undertaken on the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2021. On 1 April 2021, a Public Consultation was launched inviting views on plans to put the right to request remote working into law. A total of 175 submissions were received, including from SME representatives.