Dáil debates

Thursday, 16 February 2012

4:00 pm

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

Even in trying to bring equality to the system, is it not the case that all current earnings from self-employment are taken into account and there are no disregards as there are in similar cases where people are not self-employed? Also, earnings are assessed as gross income less the work related expenses.

Notwithstanding the Minister's comment on the actuarial review and the significant deficit, we should not resile from confronting this problem. The mark of this Government will be to do something new. This is a reforming Minister and she can leave her mark on the social welfare system by dealing with this issue. She should not resile from the issue and if it is necessary for the self-employed to pay at a rate of 20%, so be it. At least then when they have to go to the social welfare office in four year's time - hopefully the situation will have changed and that will not be necessary - they will be able to get an immediate payment. We must put food on the table today and there is no use promising utopia tomorrow. We must look after the people. Self-employed people have basically been written out of the script, but I do not intend to allow that situation continue. I have had a taste of that situation myself, so I know the two sides of the coin, as does the Minister.

I know the review group is to come back with a report, but the Minister must not allow that report gather dust nor let reports gathering dust become the hallmark of the Government. She must act on the report and bring it to an Oireachtas committee where we can debate it. She will find people from the self-employed sector more than willing to participate in that debate and to make positive progress.

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