Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would appreciate the Minister's guidance on the following. Does the section extend PRSI contributions to people with an income from a trade or profession?

There is a view that the provision may prove contentious given the lack of extra entitlements that will accrue to those individuals despite the extension. My party believes that the provision does not address the long-term deficit of the Social Insurance Fund and the range of benefits that it should support. The bottom line is that the self-employed will continue to be excluded from a range of benefits. Perhaps the Minister can explain why she has introduced this limited benefit extension.