Sir, – "Workers on Government-funded building project 'employees'" (September 2nd), which revealed how workers on a public project were "incorrectly" designated as self-employed, quotes Revenue sources expressing "concern" at the blurring of lines between employees and self-employed.
There is no blurring. The difference is as clear today as it always was. Any “blurring” that does occur is generated solely by Revenue and its hopelessly flawed systems.
Any individual working in construction can simply go online to Revenue and describe themselves (or their employees) as self-employed and Revenue will treat them accordingly.
Revenue takes no account of the nature of the contract or the work being carried out and is therefore presiding over a system that is destroying decent employment in the construction sector.
The JJ Rhatigan situation cited in the article is being replicated throughout the industry, with workers being treated as casual labour. All representations from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to Revenue on this matter have, to date, been rebuffed.
As a result, Ictu is now embarking on a campaign to press the political system and the Government to end the system where Revenue actually facilitates bogus self-employment and the ongoing exploitation of construction workers. – Yours, etc,
FERGUS WHELAN,
Irish Congress
of Trade Unions,
Parnell Square,
Dublin 1.