Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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71. To ask the Minister for Finance the estimated loss of income to the Exchequer in respect of bogus self-employment which forces low income workers to register as self-employed causing a loss to the Exchequer in income tax, PRSI and USC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44755/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that there is no accurate estimate available of the potential scale of the loss to the Exchequer from bogus self employment based on the information available to Revenue.

As the Deputies will be aware, in January 2016, the then Ministers for Finance and Social Protection launched a joint consultation on the ‘Use of Intermediary-type Structures and Self-employment Arrangements’. A total of 23 written responses were received by the consultation deadline of 31 March 2016.

The purpose of the Consultation was to invite submissions from interested parties on possible measures to address the loss to the Exchequer that may arise under 2 scenarios:

(i)where an individual, who would otherwise be an employee, establishes a company to provide his or her services, and

(ii)  where an individual, who is dependent on, and under the control of, a single employer in the same manner as an employee, is classified as a self-employed individual.

An interdepartmental working group, comprising officials from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Revenue Commissioners and my Department is currently examining the submissions received. A report on the consultation is being finalised by the working group and is expected to be presented to the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and myself shortly.