Fine Gael will end discrimination against the self-employed – Neville

Fine Gael Parliamentary Party Chairperson and TD for Limerick, Dan Neville, has said that “there is an urgent need to end discrimination against the self-employed and Fine Gael will do it.”

“The self-employed and micro, small and medium-sized businesses play a pivotal role in the Irish economy, with 350,000 self-employed and 580,000 working in enterprises of 50 employees or less.

“The Taoiseach has said he wants Irish small businesses to play a significant role in delivering full employment. Fine Gael has a plan to begin the process of equalising the income tax treatment of the employed and the self-employed.  

“This is a big part of Fine Gael’s Standing up for Small Business Campaign, which was launched last month. Fine Gael is the pro-enterprise party and we are holding a national conversation with small businesses and the self-employed, focusing on increasing the supports available to them and assisting them to take advantage of the economic recovery that is beginning to take hold.

“As part of our campaign we’re talking to small business owners and the self-employed across Ireland. Hundreds have responded to our online survey and we’ve met many more face-to-face in cities, towns and villages across the country.

“There is no doubt that tax discrepancy between the self-employed and PAYE earners is one of the big issues and I look forward to that being addressed as already flagged by the Taoiseach.

“There is also a need for better communications regarding existing State supports Fine Gael in Government has drastically cut red tape for business and the ‘Supporting SMEs Online Tool’ brings together over 80 Government business supports into one website to help small business navigate and avail of the supports available to them. The 31 Local Enterprise Offices across the country are delivering results and have supported the addition of over 4,000 extra jobs in 2014. Overall, 40,000 jobs were created last year.

“Central Bank research shows that start-up companies in their first five years of existence account for two thirds of all new jobs created in Ireland.  The economic recovery now presents opportunities for small businesses and the self-employed that did not exist this time last year and we must ensure that the State helps them to take advantage of this. Small businesses are the cornerstone of the sustainable economy in cities, towns and villages around this country, and supporting them will be crucial in our drive for full employment by 2018.”