Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. It is not very often we are all agreed on a particular issue. It is ironic that this motion was brought forward by Fianna Fáil given it oversaw many of the problems in this area during the more than 14 years it was in office and there was money available to address them. However, that is in the past and we must look to the future.

Small business is the cornerstone of this economy. This is an issue about which I have spoken many times since my entry into public life in 2011. While much has been done, more needs to be done. While measures such as VAT reductions in particular sectors, including the building and food sectors, have been introduced we need now to focus our attention on how we can ensure equality in the self-employed sector so that everybody has the same entitlements. While there may have been a view in the past that self-employed people were creaming from cash and so on, that day is long gone. As I have stated publicly before, the Revenue Commissioners is now an effective arm of the State. Everybody should be treated equally. As I have often said, we need to change our approach and attitude to failure. When a person or business fails, we need to support them. A self-employed person who has paid PRSI should be entitled, without undergoing a means test, to nine months' social welfare benefit. We would all like this to be the case.

It is hoped that after 22 May we will have marriage equality in this country and that in the future we will have tax equality between the self-employed and PAYE employees. This is an important issue in the context of job growth over the next number of years. We also have to encourage entrepreneurship because without fresh ideas there will be no growth in this area. Reference was made by other speakers to finance. I am glad to note that Bank of Ireland has taken up the option to refinance loans taken out with banks that have left this country. There is a lot more to do in this area. I look forward to further debate on this issue.

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