Dr. Helen Johnston:

Ms O'Brien has explained the situation of self-employed people quite well, but another aspect is access to credit. When somebody has a new idea and wants to set up a new business, it has been quite difficult for SMEs and so on. This is about the interconnectedness of the system, which we talked about earlier. If somebody has a new idea and wants to get started up again that is something that needs to be further looked at. I know it is recognised.

Another issue involves those who want to go back to work after their children have left home. Some will take the volunteering route and in so doing will have social interaction and develop skills. However, if they receive a jobseeker’s payment, they must be available for work which can impinge on their ability to volunteer. It is a question of how the system deals with all of these issues in maximising the potential for the person who wants to get back to having a paid job.