Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

ICTU has estimated that €600 million has been lost in taxation revenue since 2007, which is a multiple of the water charge income for the State. There are 27,000 sole traders paying approximately €2,886 in PRSI payments in an Exchequer year. Not only does this really hurt families in those sectors but it also hurts the income of the State. The Minister of State said that he intends to work on this. The major problem I have with the Labour Party's approach to many of these workers' rights areas is the inaction it has shown. When it came to zero-hour contracts, the Minister of State did not act but he commissioned a report. When it came to the Clerys tactical insolvency, the Minister of State did not act but is now commissioning the second report on that issue. The Minister of State is good with tea and sympathy, writing reports and being appalled but he is not good with action. Whatever promises he makes on workers' rights in the next month will be devalued by five years of inaction.

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