Seamus Kirk
Question:102. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has had any recent meetings with RGDATA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18669/13]
View answerTuesday, 23 April 2013
Questions (102)
Written answers
I am acutely aware of the importance of the retail sector in the Irish economy. The combined wholesale and retail sector in Ireland employs 273,000 people, which is one in every 7 people who were working in Ireland at the end of 2012. The sector also supports employment in other related services, such as transport and logistics. There are a number of bodies representing different parts of the retail sector, with RGDATA representing independent family owned grocery shops, convenience stores, forecourt stores and supermarkets.
I launched the first of AIB’s series of outlook reports for the SME sector on Friday last 19 April. As that report was focussed on the retail sector and undertaken in conjunction with RGDATA, I met the Director General of RGDATA, at that event. In addition, RGDATA was part of a “Local Jobs Alliance” delegation which met with Minister Bruton in September 2012. In addition, a representative of RGDATA sits on the High Level Group on Business Regulation which I Chair as the Minister for Small Business, so we engage regularly on issues relevant to the retail and small business sector through that forum, including the meeting of 30 January last. RGDATA have been active in making input in many areas affecting the business climate and many of the reforms introduced by Government have responded to these concerns.
In recognising the importance of the retail sector to the economy, the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs contains a number of measures aimed at supporting the sector. We are currently introducing new initiatives including:
- Rationalisation of 25 retail licences and provision of a single retail licensing system;
- Promoting a proposed competitive voucher scheme to assist retailers to go online;
- Strengthening the Credit Review Office to deal with problems in getting access to finance;
- Integration of local authority business support into a stronger local enterprise office to support the emergence of a better local environment for micro and small businesses.
In addition, the Government has committed to establishing an Interdepartmental Group to undertake a short examination of possible further measures to assist the retail sector, which could, for example, be considered in the context of the Budget or the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs. The Group will comprise key Government Departments and will consult with relevant stakeholders across the retail sector as part of its work. RGDATA will be one of the representative bodies which is consulted as part of that examination of the retail sector.