Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Mar 2000

Vol. 515 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Insurance.

Brendan Smith

Question:

217 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to allow meter readers, employees of the ESB, to pay class A contributions instead of class S contributions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7337/00]

Michael Ring

Question:

222 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will change the PRSI class of electricity meter readers from class S to class A in view of their specialised employment circumstances. [6910/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 217 and 222 together.

Contract meter readers engaged by the ESB have been considered to be self-employed persons for social insurance purposes for over 30 years. The insurability of such workers has been examined on various occasions in the intervening years and successive decisions by deciding officers of the Department and, where appropriate, by appeals officers of the social welfare appeals office have maintained this position. Accordingly, contract meter readers pay PRSI as self-employed persons, PRSI class S. As the insurability of such contract meter readers has clearly been established over the years, the issue of reclassification for PRSI purposes does not arise.

The ESB Meter Readers Association, which has been in contact with the Department, has been advised that if it wished to have the social insurance position of meter readers re-examined, it should submit a number of test cases to scope section in the Department for formal decisions on the matter. The association undertook to submit a number of test cases to both the Revenue Commissioners and the Department seeking formal decisions on the income tax and PRSI position of such contract meter readers. No such test cases have been received to date by the Department.

It is also open to individual meter readers to apply to the Department for a decision on the insurability position of their employment.