Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

It is all very well to say there is some fault in the amendment but what does the Minister propose is done in the area of bogus self-employment, which the Minister knows for years has been an absolute scourge for the people who are forced into it? I and others have raised many times in the Dáil the issue of the building sector, where this practice has become cancerous and widespread. Self-employment is forced on bricklayers and many others leading to massive tax and welfare evasion. Contrary to the rosy picture the Minister has painted of inspections taking place, none of these things have been followed up. These contractors are continually re-engaged by the Government.

The Minister has given a commitment that she will support a Bill. We have a Bill which, I would wager, is quite similar. I am not accusing Deputy O'Dea of plagiarism because ours is much stronger in some of the definitions included in it. The Bill in question is waiting around. I have been in regular contact with building workers for a number of years and they are waiting for this issue to be dealt with. It is not just them. The idea the Government has not been complicit in allowing this to spread is not the case because it happens in building in the education sphere, in particular it is rampant in schools and colleges. There was a strike about four years ago. It has been going on for a long time. It leads to a very dangerous undermining of workers' conditions as well as a loss to Revenue. It has spread. Fair play to "Drivetime", which has done an excellent documentary about the growing practice even in RTÉ.

It is all very well to say this has not been thought about enough. What will the Minister do about it? She has produced nothing in the Bill when she knows it is a key area of exploitation of workers. I can only conclude the Government has an interest in allowing this because these contractors are undercutting others. We all know they have been driving down from Northern Ireland bringing workers down here who we assume are not paying into the system. All of this has been reported by many workers who have been exposed to it. That to which I refer is still going on.

The amendment should be put. It is obviously a very bad time because it is late, it is the final day of the Dáil term and many people may not be around but it should be supported. It is a step in the right direction. The Minister has not said what she will come up with herself. She is saying what she will do if someone produces a Bill but she is the Minister.

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