Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The report was submitted to the Government in May of last year. It is now approaching its first birthday and the Government is still reflecting. The recommendation was specific, that change be made to provide that at least those who take the risk to go into business for themselves and who become incapacitated as a result of developing a long-term illness should be brought into the social insurance scheme.

Is the Government giving any consideration to a voluntary system? The final recommendation of the report was that that should be done on a compulsory basis. Of course, an alternative would be a voluntary system.

Has any consideration been given to extending benefits to incorporate jobseeker's benefit, also on a voluntary basis? The appendix to the report is interesting in that it sets out the various countries in the EU 28 and shows which countries provide for loss of employment or long-term illness. Countries that provide for these eventualities include Greece, Romania, Lithuania, Estonia, but in Ireland there is no cover for the self-employed who lose their employment or who become ill on a long-term basis.

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