Social Protection Committee to consider social welfare entitlements of self-employed

25 March 2014

Representatives from Irish Small and Medium Enterprises (ISME), the Small Firms Association and the Self Employed Alliance will address the Committee.

Joanna Tuffy TD, Chair of the Committee says: “A long-standing concern of Committee Members, today we will have an opportunity to assess how the social welfare system meets the needs of self-employed people who experience a loss of income, particularly in the case of unemployment. The meeting with representatives of small business and the Self Employed Alliance will assist the Committee in assessing the gaps and shortcomings that may exist in the current system for a cohort of people who have endured considerable economic hardship since 2008.

“At previous Committee meetings, it was argued that company owners, who made huge sacrifices in building up their businesses, should get the same entitlements to social welfare as their employees on becoming unemployed. However, it was also pointed out by Department of Social Protection Officials that, at present, the self-employed pay PRSI at a rate of 4 percent to cover entitlement to the state pension, when contributions over 15 percent would be required to self-finance jobseekers’, and other, benefits. The discussions today will assist the Committee in exploring how an improved safety net can be provided for the self-employed.”

The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 26 March at 1 pm in Committee Room 3, LH 2000 and can be viewed online here.

Committee Membership

Deputy Joanna Tuffy - Chair
Deputies James Bannon, Ray Butler, Joan Collins, Clare Daly, Brendan Griffin , Jim Daly, Derek Keating, Charlie McConalogue, Nicky McFadden, Jonathan O’Brien, Willie O’Dea, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brendan Ryan
Senators  Jim D'Arcy, Marie Moloney, Mary Moran, Hildegarde Naughten, Marie-Louise O’Donnell, Averil Power