Ray Butler (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ms Kennedy mentioned the value that self-employed persons receive a number of times. Let us look at the value that the self-employed person gives. He or she employs people, pays income tax and PRSI and once a person's name is over the door, he or she is hit with bills for everything. It should be the opposite. It should be the value that the self-employed bring to the economy. At the end of the day, if we do not put in infrastructure and provide a safety net, why would a person bother being self-employed? If we want the economy to move forward, we need a system in place as the country comes out recession. If a person takes a gamble and sets up a business, employs people and pays taxes to the State, then the State should provide help if things go wrong. We need a proper social protection system for the future.