Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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69. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will explain the apparent discrepancy in his letter of 17 July 2015 regarding bogus self-employment, where he stated the number of payers of relevant contracts tax 1 in the construction sector was approximately 34,000 and yet, more recently in a parliamentary response on the same issue, he stated that the number was 75,386; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45627/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Persons to whom the RCT system applies are either principal contractors or subcontractorsthe RCT system does not apply in respect of employees. The concept of 'RCT1 taxpayer' as referenced by the Deputy does not exist.

The figure of 34,000 referred to in the Question relates to the approximately 34,000 subcontractors active in the RCT system. The figure of 75,386 referred to in the Question relates to the number of individuals employed in construction related businesses.

As to wider issues relating to employment matters, during the recent Finance Bill Committee Stage debates, I announced that a public consultation will be held shortly on a range of issues relating to employment practices and trends.