Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Bogus self-employment has very negative consequences for workers as they are not protected by key employment legislation and are entitled to fewer benefits, such as sick pay, overtime, pension contributions, maternity leave and holiday pay. Bogus self-employment isolates workers and ensures they are not members of trade unions and cannot bargain collectively for better pay and conditions. Unscrupulous businesses are using this loophole in employment law to force employees to operate as sole traders or through a separate company so they, the employers, can avoid honouring employment rights and tax obligations.

Bogus self-employment has been identified in various areas, most commonly the construction industry, but it is also prevalent in the media, transport, food delivery and education sectors. Sinn Féin is introducing this Bill to protect workers and their hard-won rights.

The Government has failed to deal with bogus self-employment, which not only leaves workers exposed but also results in massive losses to the State of hundreds of millions of euro. ICTU has estimated a loss to the Exchequer of €640 million in unpaid PRSI due to bogus self-employment in the construction industry alone over an eight-year period.

I appreciate other Bills on this topic have been introduced but our Bill goes further, to extend workers’ rights to members of An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, persons engaged in sea fishing and other work at sea and trainee doctors. This is another positive Bill from Sinn Féin that protects workers and their hard-won rights and a Bill that should receive cross-party support. The Government must stop sitting on its hands on this issue and now stamp out the problem of bogus self-employment.

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