Updated 11.00

The Social Protection Minister's signalled she may increase PRSI for self-employed people.

It's one of a number of proposals being set out today in an expert report for the Government that sets out how self-employed people can have greater access to the welfare system.

The proposal is that the 4% PRSI contribution be increased to at least 5.5%.

Minister Burton's told the Pat Kenny Show here on Newstalk that the move would have benefits:

Department rethink

The Minister used her interview to describe her plan for Social Protection, to turn it from a benefits agency that hands out money passively, to one that actively helps support people get back to work. "I want to see everyone, especially young people, back at work" she said.

As part of that, she described how jobseekers are now required to sign contracts with social protection, based on the 'conditional cash transfer' school of thought. "We sign a contract with anyone coming in to say we will give you your benefits, we will deal with you as well as we can, but we require you to actually do everything that we require to get you back to work."

She continued, "In August, 6,700 people left the live register, not to emigrate, but to go back to work and that is a tribute to everyone in Ireland. It's certainly hopeful in terms of the budget, it will ease some of the pressure on Michael Noonan, because the other big job the government has is to exit the Troika programme."

Joan Burton also confirmed that her department's spend this year is falling within its €20 billion target.