Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for raising this issue and Deputy Fitzmaurice for contributing to it. We discussed it extensively on Committee Stage. At that time, I outlined to Deputy Boyd Barrett the work that was done when my Department and that of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, published a report on intermediary-type structures, self-employment arrangements and the implications of same for social insurance and tax policy. We have also outlined a number of times the kind of work that the Revenue Commissioners are doing on dealing with the risk of tax evasion. In 2017, for example, Revenue participated in 1,800 construction site visits and conducted more than 10,000 interviews. Given the amount of work that the Revenue Commissioners are doing, the report that has just been published by two Departments on this issue and the recent campaign that was run by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection encouraging people who felt they were being exploited to come forward, this issue is recognised by the Government and a great deal of effort is being made.

This is an issue that is recognised by the Government and much effort is going into tackling it. Deputy Fitzmaurice has described the reality of workplaces today and the many reasons for smaller companies and subcontractors getting involved in the delivery of larger projects.

This is a matter that the Government takes seriously but given the report that has already been done on it, the work of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection as well as the work being done by the Revenue Commissioners on it, I am not in a position to accept the amendment.

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