Ray Butler (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the results of a survey of the self-employed by the Department of Social Protection. Three out of four self-employed persons favoured paying a higher rate of social insurance to allow them to receive benefits similar to those received by PAYE workers. More than 80% of those surveyed put the payment of long-term illness benefit as the top priority. The survey found that 74% of respondents would be interested in a system under which extra voluntary contributions could be made to access more benefits. It also found that almost 90% of self-employed persons would pay a higher rate of PRSI in return for specific extra benefits. Their top choices would be long and short-term illness and unemployment benefit. There were 3,200 respondents. I would prefer if it was mandatory, but I have waited so long for this to happen that I could live with a voluntary system, but let us get the ball rolling. Can we have the Minister come to the House before the summer recess to iron out some of the issues with the new stamp? The scheme is very welcome for the 340,000 self-employed persons in the country.