Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Another point which needs to be made - Deputy O'Dea articulated it quite well - is that which relates to the argument in favour of the mandatory model. I take this opportunity to point out that I was previously self-employed. Many of the witnesses referred to discrimination and the fact that they want the self-employed to be treated equally. If we are introducing a voluntary code of PRSI for the self-employed, then that is a further discrimination, albeit one that is positive in nature. I am of the view that this runs counter to the argument to the effect that they should be treated the same.