Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

October is the first month in the tax year so far in which our tax collection has moved into line with our profile and what we expected to do. While there is much focus from the Deputy and others as to where we will end up in November, it has to be seen in the context of a year in which, up until October, we were behind profile. While we were ahead of where we were a year ago, we were behind the targets set. Anything that happens in November will be seen by me in that context.

On the point on how people felt after the budget, we went through several budgets where people felt significantly better the day after. However, we saw the cumulative cost of those budgets. I was clear in the run-up to budget 2018 that I wanted to make steady progress. If we end up in a situation where people feel dramatically better off the day after the budget, it is a sign to me that we are going down a path which will bring us back to where we were in the past. That is not a journey on which I intend to go.

The cost of indexing our income tax system for a full year would be €550 million, money which is not available to me. That is why I had to make choices with the smaller amount of funding available.

If I had made the choice to move to full parity in a single budget, it would have meant a move to €1,650, which would mean an increase of €700. This would have meant that a single self-employed individual earning €25,000 would have gained €15 per week, while a PAYE employee on the same income would have gained €1 per week. That is why I am looking to do it over several budgets. I am looking to make a bigger move on it next year than this year.

I do not believe anybody should be forced into self-employment. That is not to say there are issues which will have to be addressed. I am aware of the Deputy's point and wider concerns about the nature of employment contracts in different occupations. It is a matter on which I have indirect experience. I want to see the Minister for Employment and Social Protection's work on this conclude and report. It is a matter about which I have questions. If the questions are answered in a bad way, I would have potential concerns.