Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1054: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of staff in his Department currently earning the national minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department currently earning not more than one euro per hour more than the minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department's agencies currently earning the national minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department's agencies currently earning not more than one euro per hour more than the minimum wage; the number of staff who are employed by contractors to his Department currently earning the national minimum wage; the number employed by contractors of his Department currently earning not more than one euro per hour more than the minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department currently earning less than the national minimum wage, including those earning the sub-minimum wage as defined by Sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; the number of staff in his Department's agencies currently earning less than the national minimum wage, including those earning the sub-minimum wage as defined by Sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; the number of staff who are employed by contractors to his Department currently earning less than the national minimum wage, including those earning the sub-minimum wage as defined by Sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43749/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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There are no staff in my Department currently earning the national minimum wage or less than the national minimum wage (or the sub-minimum wage as defined by Sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000). There are no staff in my Department currently earning not more than one euro per hour more than the minimum wage.

All of the non-commercial agencies under the aegis of my Department have confirmed that there are no staff currently earning the national minimum wage or less than the national minimum wage (or the sub-minimum wage as defined by Sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000). However, a total of 11 members of staff in one of my Department's agencies and 1 in another are currently earning not more than one euro per hour more than the minimum wage. It should be noted that the 11 members of staff, who have recently been recruited, are at the minimum point of their pay scale. The other member of staff referred to is on the second point of his pay scale. All will, through incremental progression, exceed the threshold mentioned by the Deputy.

Contractors employed by my Department have confirmed that their employees receive at least the national minimum wage. My Department requires any potential contractors to comply with statutory terms and conditions applicable to all workers in Ireland.

The pay and conditions of the staff in my Department and in the agencies under the aegis of my Department are as sanctioned by the Minister for Finance.