The Taoiseach says giving tax cuts to the self-employed will take a number of years to implement. 

Enda Kenny this morning said the tax regime for self-employed workers is "discriminatory" and cannot be justified any longer, and signalled there will be further reductions in this year's Budget.

Last year's Budget included a 3% increase on the Universal Social Charge for self-employed workers on six-figure salaries.

Speaking at an IBEC employment conference this morning, the Taoiseach says that is going to be changed:

However speaking to reporters he insisted the announcement of tax cuts was not an admission that hiking up the USC in the last Budget was a mistake:

Earlier, IBEC said the Government needs to be more ambitious in its plans for Ireland's development.

The association also wants to see income tax cuts, which it says is a better way to stimulate economic activity rather than increasing wages.

The group is also warning that 'housing and transport bottlenecks could undermine jobs recovery', and is calling on the Government to commit to spending 4% of GDP on infrastructure by 2020.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny addressed IBEC's conference in Dublin this morning, where he also ruled out a return to the 'old culture' of the government doing deals with interest groups on public policy areas.

IBEC CEO Danny McCoy says Ireland's economy has potential growth of 3 to 4 per cent for the next 30 years:

It emerged yesterday that an open forum on wages and spending is to be set up, rather than the old-style social partnership process.

Mr McCoy says areas of public policy will be on the agenda at the event in Dublin today:

Originally posted at 8.35am