Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The workers in these sectors - in the gig economy or whatever we like to call it - if they are employed on a self-employment basis, have an imbalance of power between themselves and the employer and they are in a very weak position. If they say “Boo”, there is somebody else waiting to take their position. There is a vulnerability there for workers. I make the point that the Department needs to be aware of that in terms of the classification. It is very difficult for a worker who is a cycle courier or a motorcycle courier to take a case. Their employer will straightaway, in most cases, move to make life difficult for them. I ask the Department to be aware of that.