Press Statement - Taoiseach responds to OECD Regulatory Report
The Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., announced today the Governments initial response to the OECDs report on Regulatory Reform in Ireland.
The announcement followed the presentation of the Report in Government Buildings to the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern T.D., the Tanaiste, Ms. Mary Harney T.D., and the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs. Mary O Rourke, T.D. The Report is the culmination of a year of detailed review by the OECD, which is renowned internationally for its expertise in the area of regulatory management.
Welcoming the report, the Taoiseach said, the OECD has reported on many positive aspects of Irelands regulatory regime, including the openness of our markets to international trade and progress made in the fields of competition law, aviation and telecommunications regulation.
Nevertheless, the Report also highlights areas where further progress must be made and the Action Programme which I will present to the Cabinet tomorrow is designed to address certain identified weaknesses.
The Taoiseach said I am convinced of the potential to use the regulatory reforms suggested by the OECD to secure the progress we have made over the past decade in economic and social terms. Now is the time to take action, as a streamlined regulatory system can help us to sustain high future growth, to manage inflationary pressures and to deliver better economic and social policies to the people of Ireland.
The Action Programme which has been developed in conjunction with the Tanaiste and Minister O Rourkes Departments and which I will present formally to the Government at its meeting tomorrow includes:
- Preparation of a major national policy statement on Regulatory Reform, with input from appropriate Departments and agencies on key issues such as the identification of State restrictions on competition and areas where consumer interests need to be strengthened;
- Establishment of a High Level Group on Regulation with representation from a variety of government Departments and agencies to give a unique cross-sectoral focus on regulatory quality;
- Key regulators will be invited to contribute to the Groups work. The Group will monitor implementation of Irelands response to the OECD report and develop appropriate regulatory reform proposals for the Governments consideration;
- Development of a new mechanism (Regulatory Impact Assessment) by which Government Departments and Public Bodies will be required to analyse and measure the impacts on society of any regulations being proposed;
- Requesting the Competition Authority to initiate a comprehensive study of the Professional Services sector with a view to reporting by the end of this year;
- Requesting the Commission on Liquor Licensing to produce further interim reports (before the date set for its final report of end 2002);
- Acceleration of a Review of the Health (Community Pharmacy Contractor Agreement) Regulations governing the award of General Medical Services contracts to pharmacies.