Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and I welcome Deputy Phelan also raising this important topic.

We are all aware of the hardships being faced by many people currently. When someone is made unemployed, paying the bills and mortgage, while putting food on the table, is a daunting prospect. While some supports are available to help those in need, life is still a struggle. As it stands, however, the self-employed who find themselves in a similar situation are not entitled to that support and are left with nothing. That is not right and should not be allowed to continue. While social welfare may be available through jobseeker's assistance, jumping through the necessary hoops to show they have a need and can satisfy the means test is very difficult for self-employed people.

There is a high level of unemployment and many were self-employed but because of their status, they are not entitled to jobseeker's benefit or disability benefits, which can have untold consequences on the individual and his or her family. I realise a situation exists where on an actuarial basis self-employed contributors receive a lot more than they contribute to the Social Insurance Fund. These people must be protected when they are unemployed, however, like every other person. By doubling self-employment contributions from 4% to 8%, with such qualifying contributions being made for no less than 104 weeks, we could provide for such people to be eligible for jobseeker's benefit and disability benefits without it having a massive impact on the Social Insurance Fund.

The Minister for Social Protection previously suggested voluntary contributions could be an option but I disagree. We have already seen how voluntary contributions worked for fishermen, with only 20 individuals availing of this option in 2009 out of 1,400 fishermen. Many of them subsequently probably regret the decision not to pay the additional contributions. It is for that reason the contributions must be mandatory for the system to work.

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