Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I acknowledge the huge contribution the SME sector is making to the Irish economy, from the 350,000 self-employed to the 580,000 who are employed in enterprises with 50 staff or fewer. Like everyone in recent years, these people have gone through what was possibly the worst global recession ever. They have survived, but not without a great sacrifice, and have received little or no support from the State. Those who have not survived or have been unfortunate enough to fail, and those who continue to fail, have little by way of comfort or support from the State. They are ineligible for certain welfare payments and benefits. They are allowed certain allowances but the means test is so rigorous that they often feel like beggars coming out of the social welfare office after seeking some support. There is certainly no sweetheart deal available for people who fail, such as the deals that seem to be available to companies such as Siteserv. When one considers what the Government has done to support SMEs in recent years, one realises that it has doubled the rate of employer's PRSI, absolutely ransacked employers' pensions and slashed the redundancy payment. That is the level of support that is given by the Government to the sector.

I take this opportunity to credit Deputy Willie Penrose. The Minister of State will remember that we conversed about the Deputy’s legislation on Twitter one night.

He was right to bring forward the Bill to reduce the bankruptcy term to support entrepreneurs, innovators, risk takers and job creators because very often they are the people we need to start again. They have the expertise and imagination needed to start again. I call on Fine Gael to stop playing party politics and support the Deputy's Bill because it will find support throughout the membership of the House.

The motion rightly calls for reform of the social welfare sector. It is very important that we reform the sector for the self-employed because it will help foster an entrepreneurial attitude. It will tell people to try but that if they fail there will be supported.

I want to turn my attention to Revenue. Not one of us would condone deliberate tax evasion, but the manner in which Revenue officials carry out audits is nothing short of a scandal. The number of small businesses which have been targeted and the level of interrogation and examination is nothing short of scandalous. I met someone who employs 12 people in Mullingar. He used to employ in excess of 30 people but because of the recession he downsized. The officials practically lived with the business for four weeks, and the level of anxiety and stress was absolutely harrowing. In the heel of the hunt before they left all they could ask was how the person was able to keep the business going. The State should be complimenting and congratulating, not condemning, businesses which kept the ship afloat for the past number of years. The self-employed people who inadvertently miscalculated their liabilities are charged absolutely penal interest rates and penalties and this needs to be addressed.

My colleague spoke about broadband and I want to add my voice to this. The Mr. Crumb factory in north Westmeath employs more than 100 people. Very often the owner must get into his car and travel from Castletown, Finea to the Mullingar Park Hotel to send and receive orders. Where is the Government support for a business such as this? Last Sunday night I was at a cumman meeting in Abbeyshrule, County Longford, which has an airport and a very successful business and bar restaurant. It won the all-Ireland tidy towns competition, and the new Central Park development will be a small distance from it. However, there is no broadband good, bad or indifferent. This is a scandalous legacy for the Government. It could find €500 million from the National Pension Reserve Fund to roll out water meters which will not be used or read for a minimum of four or five years but it does not have the will, money or commitment to ensure that in this day and age we have broadband, which is a crucial service for businesses and citizens. This is a very bad legacy.

See this speech in context