Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

notes:

— the importance of the self-employed and micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SME) sectors to the Irish economy with 350,000 self-employed people and 580,000 people in enterprises of 50 people or less;

— the disparity in tax treatment between the self-employed and PAYE sectors;

— that certain social welfare benefits are not available to self-employed people such as Jobseeker’s Benefit and Illness Benefit;

— the continuing difficulties being experienced by the self-employed and SMEs in accessing affordable credit; and

— that Irish SMEs pay much higher interest rates than other EU countries for credit;

recognises:

— the domestic SME sector is diverse in nature and employs workers with a wide range of skills in all parts of the country; and

— the success of Ireland in attracting foreign direct investment over many decades and the importance of giving a similar level of priority to the domestic enterprises; and

calls for:

— the introduction of an earned income tax credit for the self-employed on a phased basis of equal value to the PAYE tax credit;

— the provision, on a voluntary basis, of a full range of social protection payments, including Jobseeker’s Benefit and Illness Benefit to self-employed PRSI contributors as part of a commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial culture as well as enhancing social solidarity;

— an extensive information campaign by the Department of Social Protection to highlight the benefits and services available to self-employed people;

— an expansion of the role of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland to allow it to lend directly to SMEs and the self-employed with expansion opportunities;

— incentivisation of entrepreneurs to set up new businesses by providing tapered relief from Capital Gains Tax; and an extension to the Credit Guarantee Scheme to assist Irish businesses whose loans are at risk of being sold to investment funds to refinance at affordable rates.

I wish to share time with Deputies Michael McGrath, John McGuinness and Charlie McConalogue.

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