Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to support the amendment. It addresses an area the Government has consistently not looked at in respect of raising money. In other European countries, utilising employers' PRSI to provide services for their citizens is a key and significant factor. Although I cannot currently lay my hands on the figures, an increase of 2% in employers' PRSI would garner over €1 billion. That should be considered as a progressive tax to be allocated to public services. From reports I have seen regarding the situation in France and similar countries, people there do not pay more tax than Irish citizens in terms of PAYE or similar.

It is actually the employers' pay related social insurance, PRSI, that gives them the leeway to provide more services through the health service and so on, so I certainly support the amendment.