Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose the deletion of section 20. On Report Stage, I noted that while I am in full agreement with Deputy O'Dea's wish to tackle bogus self-employment, from a policy perspective the Bill is not the place to do that. We need proper hearings at the joint committee or public consultation. In the meantime, we have beefed-up and changed how we do our inspections in the Scope division. I have undertaken to produce a report under the social welfare Bill this year that will look specifically at all the issues Deputy O'Dea has brought up. There is genuinely broad agreement, which this House will share, that while false employment deprives the State of revenue, that is probably the least of our concerns, as it also makes people's situations unstable, prevents them from having access to most of Department of Employment and Social Protection schemes. We are moving to change that, although the rate at which we are doing this not fast enough, as we cannot afford that. It deprives people of a myriad of employment rights and self esteem and it should not be allowed to continue. I will look at this matter and hope to address it in separate legislation this year, however, this will only be after public consultation and hearings at the joint committee. The report that we publish will determine what we will do.