Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The precise number of incorrectly classified self-employed workers is not known. I accept the Deputy's anecdotal evidence in this regard but the most recent, pre-Covid, CSO labour force survey statistics from quarter 1 of 2020 show the number of self-employed individuals in Ireland at the end of March 2020 stood at 331,600. This represents an increase over the year of 2.4%. However, the previous year had shown a decrease of 3.8%, indicating marginal fluctuation in the figures. While there is anecdotal evidence out there, the exact number of incorrectly classified self-employed workers is not known.

I agree with some of what the Deputy said. Bogus self-employment is wrong. It facilitates exploitation, distorts competition from a tendering perspective and leads to a loss of income for the State. That is why it has been receiving attention from the Government, was discussed at the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, last May and will be discussed again at the forum this coming Monday.

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