Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 October 2013
69. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the World Bank’s Doing Business Report; his views on the recently published findings of the independent panel of experts who reviewed the Doing Business Report; and the steps he and Irish Aid will take in view of the panel’s findings. [41297/13]
View answerThe Doing Business Report is published annually by the World Bank and it assesses regulations affecting domestic firms in 185 economies and ranks the economies in 10 areas of business regulation with reference mainly to small and medium-sized enterprises. I understand that the purpose of the report is to encourage countries to achieve more efficient regulation; provide measurable benchmarks for reform; and serve as a resource for academics, journalists, researchers and others interested in the business climate of each country.
The report includes detailed subnational data on the ease of doing business, ranks each location and recommends reforms to improve performance in terms of various indicators. This enables countries to compare their business regulations with those of other relevant countries and to relate them to their own objectives for economic growth and development. In October, 2012, after ten years of the Doing Business Report, the President of the World Bank Group appointed an independent panel of experts to review the Report and to seek further ways to improve it. The review of the independent panel was published in June, 2013, and its recommendations included the retention of the Doing Business Report, a move to grouping by categories instead of aggregate rankings, increasing the report’s level of transparency, reform of its methodology and the use of complementary information from enterprise surveys.
As the findings and recommendations of the review are under ongoing consideration by World Bank management, it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of this process and any subsequent decisions which may be taken. However, I understand that Irish Aid consider that the Doing Business Report provides a clear incentive and encouragement for many developing countries to reform their economies to attract more domestic and foreign investment which, in turn, stimulates growth and reduces poverty.
Ireland ranks well in the Doing Business Report, achieving 15th position in the report published in 2012. As World Bank Governor for Ireland, my Department has a lead role in liaising with the Doing Business team at the Bank. In consultation with the relevant Government Departments and agencies, particular attention has been focused on areas of business regulations identified as in need of improvement in previous reports with a view to ensuring as far as possible that there is full recognition of progress made by Ireland in these areas.
