Results 461-480 of 904 for speaker:Ray Butler

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: Absolutely. Consider the case of the family of two adults and two children in Drogheda. The mother was working for €450 per week. The husband was self-employed and got sick. He was assessed at €1.60. Would they not be happy paying an extra 0.25% to bring the percentage up to 4.25%?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: It is not voluntary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: What Mr. Fielding calls an extra tax is a safeguard to provide some security if one’s business goes wrong. I would not call it a tax. If my accountant told me I had to pay 0.25%, or an extra 1.5%, to safeguard my house and put food on the table, I would gladly pay it as a safeguard, not as a tax.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: I have been self-employed all my life and know exactly what I am talking about.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: I have discussed this matter with the Minister for Finance. A voluntary contribution will not work. The contribution would have to be mandatory. The Minister has agreed to the introduction of a contribution of 0.25% for the first couple of years. My argument is that a self-employed person who is told by his or her accountant that he or she is required to pay X amount of income tax, or, if...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: Is Mr. Martin not being selfish?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: Illness and disability benefit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: Yes the cost will be equal to a 1.50% contribution payment. It is proposed to start with an 0.25% contribution which will then be increased year-on-year. The contribution will entitle the person to illness and disability benefit. The person will then be assessed for a long term payment. It is a great idea.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: They will be only entitled to illness and disability benefit. They will be assessed in respect of the long term payment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: I understand that. As stated by Senator Moloney, the provision of such a scheme would require contributions of between 14% and 17%. We know we cannot force people to pay that amount. What is being proposed is only a first step towards helping the self-employed. I agree it is not perfect. There is no perfect solution in regard to the position of self-employed persons and social welfare...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: This is the first time ever that self-employed people will be recognised in terms of social protection. In regard to whether the contribution should be voluntary or mandatory, the only way forward is for it to be mandatory. What is proposed is that self-employed persons pay 0.25% in the first instance and that the contribution then be increased to 4.25% over time. This can be reviewed in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: Absolutely. Hear, hear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: A rise of one quarter of a per cent is envisaged if we can all come together and push on. We can go down the road of describing all the ills visited upon self-employed people. I have been self-employed all my life and I never want any other person to go through what I endured when I lost my business. I did not have a penny for 14 or 15 months. I did not even have enough money to feed my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: To come back on that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: We must remember that ISME and the Self Employed Alliance Dundalk are dealing with two different groups of people. As Mr. Dolan said, he is talking about people who have one to five employees whereas Mr. Fielding could be talking of companies employing a workforce of 50 to 100, with both being termed a small enterprise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: That is fine. When I was self-employed, if my accountant had told me I had to pay another 1.5% onto the 4.5%, and given I would be paying my income tax or, if I was not making a profit, I would be paying tax on my drawings, then surely to God I would have swapped a little of this to put onto a stamp in order to protect my home and my wife and children. Let common sense prevail. When the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: Everybody is in favour of it but the question is whether it is mandatory or voluntary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: It is applied on the profits.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: Yes, I said that about the PAYE worker.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Entitlements for Self-Employed: ISME, SEA and SFA (26 Mar 2014)

Ray Butler: I apologise, Senator Moloney.