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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Oct 1992

Vol. 424 No. 5

Written Answers. - Industrial Costs Monitoring Group.

John Bruton

Question:

48 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will list the proposals made by the Industrial Costs Monitoring Group which have been implemented to lighten the administrative burden on businesses.

Arising out of the Government programme to review statutory and information requirements which impact on business and industry, the Industrial Costs Monitoring Group (ICMG) in the period 1988 to 1990 assessed a wide range of issues covering such areas as the construction sector, labour legislation, environmental regulations and Revenue matters, to mention some of the major topics. The ICMG made recommendations on these issues for consideration by the Departments concerned. In a number of cases, these recommendations were dealt with in the context of other developments, for example, the introduction of self-assessment for taxation purposes and reviews of labour legislation and planning, environmental and building legislation.

Among the recommendations made by the Group, I am informed that the issues listed below were implemented and are representative of the broad range of issues which were assessed under the programme.

1. The recommendation that small businesses should be allowed to make returns for PAYE/PRSI and VAT on a yearly basis with payments to continue as at present.
2. The recommendation that the limit for VAT exemption on parcel post by registered persons be increased from £200 to £500.
3. The recommendations that procedures in relation to importation of goods by parcel post should be critically reviewed by Customs and Excise in conjunction with An Post as significant delays were experienced by importers.
4. The recommendation that the operations of the Land Registry Office should be reviewed with a view to the application of computerised systems which would lead to improved efficiency of procedures.
5. Duplicate Sub Contractor C2 certificates had to be returned to the Revenue Commissioners by the end of June every year. The ICMG were not aware of any overriding reason for the early return of the duplicate certificates. It, therefore, recommended that the possibility of their being available over the full year should be examined by Revenue.
6. It had been suggested by the Construction Industry Federation that, because of the high level of employee turnover in the construction industry, the Revenue Commissioners often mislaid P45s submitted to them and that this gave rise to a high frequency of requests for form P43. The ICMG recommended that this issue be examined by the Revenue Commissioners sector were dealt with quickly and efficiently.
7. An office notice was issued to all Government Departments in March 1984 setting out the identification procedure to be followed in personal, written and telecommunications dealings with the public. Given the period that had elapsed since this notice was issued, the ICMG recommended that the notice be updated and reissued by the Department of Finance and the Public Service.
8. The recommendation that the Department of the Environment should draw up regulations at national level to control the level and operations of bylaw approvals.
9. The recommendation that clear guidelines should exist for determining when an Environmental Impact Statement is required.
10. The recommendation that the format of the annual return to the companies Registration Office used by companies incorporated under the Companies Acts should be simplified.
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