THE ImPACT OF REgULATIONS IN IRELAND

Regulations can have a negative impact on economic behaviour and productivity. The challenge for policymakers is to balance estimated costs with the potential benefits of regulations. One of the key issues is to identify the areas which have the most significant impact on business. This chapter reports new research on the issue of the regulatory burden in Ireland, and identifies some potential areas for improving the Irish regulatory framework. Both authors are economists working for Indecon International Economic Consultants. We would like to thank Alan Gray and Sean Lyons for helpful comments. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Indecon. RObERT .wATT .AND .DEREK .SCULLY