Social protection for self-employed people
Ray Butler asks that forthcoming social welfare legislation recognise self-employed people in the social protection system. The Tánaiste says the issue will form part of the Bill’s debate and praises recent social welfare reforms.
Given the fact that the social protection Bill will be discussed in the House in May, will the Cabinet consider self-employed people? The likes of the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, ISME, and the Self-Employed Alliance, SEA, attended the Oireachtas recently. The Minister, Deputy Burton, has done great work on this matter.
Comment on this
Is the Cabinet considering it? When the Bill is before the House in May, can we use it to recognise for the first time ever self-employed people in terms of social protection? What happened previously was a disgrace.
Comment on this
The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill is due in this session. I am sure the Deputy will agree that the Minister for Social Protection has implemented more reforms in our social welfare system in the last three years than were made in the previous 13 years. The issues raised by the Deputy will obviously form part of the debate.
