Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

With all due respect to Deputy Tóibín, that is not the question he originally tabled, which asked about subcontractors engaged in exploitative work practices. That said, I am very happy to respond to the supplementary question he has just posed. I know that Deputy Tóibín has a particular interest in this case, as do I, and we discussed it briefly at a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. While I am reluctant to comment in individual cases, I know that the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection and the National Employment Rights Authority, NERA, have had a presence on the aforementioned site and have investigated complaints made to them. I have been in contact with Deputy Tóibín by letter in respect of the broad issue to which he refers. The Deputy will be aware that it is the remit of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection to clarify the status of employees and it is the responsibility of the Revenue Commissioners to deal with the issuing of certification in respect of self-employment. All information received by my Department or NERA in this regard is forwarded to them for their attention. In that regard, I have forwarded correspondence from Deputy Tóibín to both the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection.

It is important to point out that this must be viewed in the context of the re-establishment of the registered employment agreement system. This Government is committed to re-establishing that system and we are making significant progress in that regard.

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