Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's reply sounds wonderful, but it is in sharp contrast with the reality in Ireland. The reality is that action on the part of the authorities to which the Minister referred is more the exception than the rule. Half of all the people working in construction in the State, often on publicly funded projects, are employed on the basis of bogus self-employment contracts. One particular recruitment firm, CLS Recruitment, is blatantly promoting these arrangements as a means of avoiding payment of the national minimum wage and holiday pay to and social insurance contributions for subcontractors in the construction sector. Earlier this year the fast food company, Deliveroo, sought to change its relationship with its employees in Ireland who were already on low wages. These employees were presented with new contracts, to the effect that they would in the future be self-employed and paid per delivery, the net effect of which was that their pay would be reduced to half the national minimum wage. How does the Minister account for this if the authorities within her remit are being so proactive?

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