Employment Support Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 March 2015

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Questions (22)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

22. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on whether it is appropriate for Foras Áiseanna Saothair – the Irish National Training and Employment Authority, FÁS - to advertise positions for sales and collecting agents, considering the positions are self-employed and the financial services companies have no responsibility to provide for the suite of rights available to directly employed employees, such as annual leave, sick pay and other benefits. [12278/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

By advertising vacancies of this nature the Department of Social Protection through its Jobs Ireland service is affording the individual jobseeker the opportunity to decide personally whether they are interested in the self-employed vacancy position, rather than excluding potential options. It is important for the Department as a state organisation to endeavour to do its best to protect the interests of all our client groups therefore all self-employed/commission based vacancies are clearly advertised as self-employed/commission vacancies. All self-employed vacancies state that successful candidates will be responsible for making their own Tax and PRSI contributions.