The Report and Final stages of The Judicial Council Bill 2017 are scheduled in the Seanad for Thursday 20th June. The Bill will then proceed to the Dáil and the Government has committed to having the Bill enacted by the third week in July.  Click here to read the press release.

The Garda National Strategic Retail Forum heard that theft in convenience stores and supermarkets was up 3% in the 12 months to April 2019 and the “worst month ever” for drive-offs was April 2019. RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley told the meeting that 94% of independent shops represented by RGDATA experienced retail theft and other criminal activity in 2018 and additional measures were required to tackle the problem.

Director General of RGDATA, Tara Buckley dismissed a claim by Minsister Michael D’Arcy that the Cost of Insurance Working Group (CIWG) was making progress.  Click here to read the Sunday Business Post article.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley replied to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s comments at the Law Society Preidential dinner which he mentioned the significant profits being made by insurance companies. RGDATA has written to the Taoiseach uging the govenrment to introduce tax on insurance company profits in budget 2020.  Click here to read the letter.

Click here to read the Alliance for Insurance Reform press release.

RGDATA’s call for policy holders to be informed by their insurers about claims made against them will now be the subject of legislative change. Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe plans to legislate following the failure to reach a voluntary protocol with Insurance Ireland whereby insurance companies would inform policyholders of claims made against them.
The Minister plans to include the proposal in the Consumer Insurance Contracts Bill 2017.

The Department of Finance is requesting submissions on Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty’s Consumer Insurance Contract Bill 2017 which proposes to reform and modernise the law of consumer insurance contracts. Following scrutiny of the Bill, the Oireachtas Finance Committee has recommended a consultation with stakeholders and a cost-benefit analysis of the Bill.
Submissions are due Friday, 24 May, 2019. RGDATA will make a submission. Click here for more information. 

As part of the preparations for Budget 2020 and Finance Bill 2019, the Tax Division of the Department of Finance is undertaking a stakeholder consultation process on tax incentives for the Small and Medium Enterprise sector. RGDATA would like your views on the Employment and Investment Incentive (EII); Start-up Refunds for Entrepreneur (SURE); the Start-up Capital Initiative (SCI); the Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP); and CGT Entrepreneurs' Relief. Have you availed of any of these schemes?

Minister Richard Bruton T.D. has launched an EPA led funding opportunity for novel approaches to promote the circular economy, maximise resource efficiency and reduce waste.  Applications are invited in areas:

• • Food Waste Prevention;
  • Construction & Demolition;
  • Plastics and
  • Resources & raw materials.

The EPA will host a webinar outlining the Green Enterprise Call and application process on Wednesday 8th May at 11.30 am.  Please register your interest by e-mailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Click here to view the Green Enterprise call documents.

The Department of Rural and Community Development is holding a series of Stakeholder Consultation events to inform the development of the next phase of rural policy.

This future rural development policy, from 2020, will build on the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development 2017 - 2019. RGDATA has been invited to send local members to meetings in Cavan, Donegal, Carlow, Tipperary, Galway, Mayo, Clare, Kerry. Are you passionate about development in your area? Would you like to attend? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.