My Department is represented on, and has fully participated in the work of, the high level group on regulation which was established in order to develop and co-ordinate the better regulation agenda with particular regard to the institutional and policy proposals required on foot of the OECD's report. In this context, my Department has made appropriate inputs into the development of the public consultation document, Towards Better Regulation, and a model for regulatory impact analysis, RIA. Regarding the latter, my Department has identified the intended reform of gaming-lotteries legislation as a possible pilot project for RIA.
As regards reform of the liquor licensing system, the Commission on Liquor Licensing has recently submitted its fourth and final report. The commission has recommended wide-ranging structural reforms of the licensing system and I intend to respond to these recommendations in a codification of the entire intoxicating liquor code which I have already announced. Reform of the code will require collaboration with other agencies such as the Office of the Revenue Commissioners the Courts Service and the Garda. My intention is that an outline of the reformed system will be completed by mid-2004.