Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection

Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA

1:10 pm

Photo of Joanna TuffyJoanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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I note the sad passing of Deputy Nicky McFadden, a member of the committee. She was a Member of the Dáil since 2007, and before that a Senator, for the Fine Gael Party. She was an excellent representative and a colleague and friend to members of the committee. On behalf of the committee, I express our sympathies to her family and colleagues.
I welcome the witnesses. I wish to draw their attention to the fact that, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in respect of a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I also wish to advise them that the opening statements they have submitted to the committee will be published on the committee's website after this meeting. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect of the privilege statement I have just outlined.
Today's meeting is on the entitlement of self-employed persons to social protection payments. It is one of a number of meetings that we have held. Several members, in particular Deputy Butler, requested this meeting. It follows our meeting with the Dundalk-based Self-Employed Alliance, SEA, last year as well as our meeting with the advisory group on tax reform. A number of other meetings related to self-employed people in the PRSI system. A number of reforms have been proposed in the advisory group's report. Given our consideration of its proposals and the fact that a number of stakeholders have commented on them, Deputy Butler suggested that we have a follow-up meeting with ISME, the Small Firms Association, SFA, and the SEA to sustain the debate and progress the issue.
To get our discussion under way, I invite Mr. Martin to make his presentation on behalf of the SFA.