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

I do not detect from the Minister's response any developments since this matter was raised five months ago. It seems that the Minister is using the report to avoid making any decision that would assist the self-employed while, at the same time, the Taoiseach said it is central to Government policy to develop the indigenous sector. Reports report, Ministers decide. The Minister will be aware that the report recommended that the right to illness benefit, invalidity pension and so on, should be extended to the self-employed. I admit the report stated that should be done on a compulsory basis but there is no rationale to that because countries such as Denmark, Germany, Sweden, France, Lithuania, even Romania, are doing this, either for unemployment benefits or sickness benefits on a voluntary basis, such as we have proposed. Will the Minister indicate if she has given thought to extending this on a voluntary basis? If people are prepared to pay, surely they should be accommodated.

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