Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to levy PRSI on the rental income earned by landlords; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9377/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Employees who do not have additional earned income other than earnings from employment, do not currently pay PRSI on unearned income, such as rental income.

One of my key goals in the Department is to reform the system of social protection to put it on a sounder financial footing in the future. One of the matters I am most concerned about is the deficit in the Social Insurance Fund. It is my intention to widen the PRSI income base to make certain types of unearned income, such as rental income, liable to PRSI. Any proposal to bring additional sources of income within the base on which PRSI is charged would have to be considered taking account of all of the implications, including the potential for providing access to additional social insurance entitlements.