James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and his team and congratulate them on good legislation. It is important that persons who are genuinely self-employed have some protections. We are taking a range of steps to address the issue. A self-employed individual may also be a small employer, but he or she has no protection once the business goes to the wall, having paid tax and made PRSI contributions for his or her employees. I know that is a slightly different point to make, but nonetheless it is very important. I welcome the Minister of State's work. He is absolutely right that if one has happy employees, one has productive employees.