Fianna Fáil has called for a reform of the PRSI system to encourage businesses to take on more employees. It says that the first additional employee taken on by an SME should be exempt from employers’ PRSI for a period of two years and the next five employees should be subject to a reduction of 50 per cent on the part of employers’ PRSI charged on the first €50,000 of salary.

“When an entrepreneur makes their first hire, they are taking a huge risk,” according to Dara Calleary, the party’s spokesperson on jobs and the State should try to reduce the up-front financial cost.

Fianna Fail has already published proposals calling for an extension of social protection supports to the self-employed, a fully licensed state enterprise bank and a revamp of the commercial rates system.

“I will push hard to have this and other job creation policies included in our party’s manifesto,” Mr Calleary said in a statement.