Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the commission which she set up to investigate the position of self employed persons who find themselves out of work and cannot avail of the welfare system, due to the fact that they only contributed SI contributions, if the objective of extending the contribution rate of AI to the self employed whether on a compulsory or voluntary basis has been explored; if the recommendations of the commission will soon be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30646/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Creating jobs and tackling poverty are two of the key challenges that Ireland now faces and it is essential that our tax and social protection systems play their part in addressing these issues. To this end, last year I established an Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare with the aim of harnessing expert opinion and experience to examine a number of specific issues. These include making cost-effective proposals for improving employment incentives and achieving better poverty outcomes, particularly child poverty outcomes. Among the issues provided for under the Advisory Group's Terms of Reference is for the Group to examine and report on the issues involved in providing social insurance cover for self-employed persons in order to establish whether or not such cover is technically feasible and financially sustainable.

The Group's overall method of working is based on producing modular reports on the priority areas identified in the Terms of Reference. Where possible, the aim is to provide recommendations that can be acted upon in time for the annual budget, estimates and legislative cycle and to allow the Government to best address its commitments under the EU-IMF Programme of Financial Support. Decisions in respect of publishing reports of the Group will be made at the appropriate time. The Group will revert to me with its report on its considerations and recommendations on social insurance coverage for the self-employed once their examination of the various questions has been completed.