Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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79. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if craft apprentices in their first and second year must be paid at least the minimum wage of €11.30 per hour, or if, under the terms of the recent SEO, that a year 1 apprentice will be paid 33.33% of the craft rate which is €21.49 an hour from 18 September 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19801/23]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The current Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) for the Construction Sector came into effect on 1 February 2022. The Order fixes the statutory minimum rates of pay and other conditions for example, sick pay and pension entitlements for craftspeople, construction operatives and apprentices employed in the construction sector. Any employer in that sector has a legal duty to comply, at minimum, with those terms.

The Labour Court recently submitted proposals to myself for consideration for an amended SEO for the Construction Sector to become effective from the

18^thSeptember 2023. labour-court-report-and-recommendation-on-seo-for-construction-section-2023.pdf(enterprise.gov.ie)

I must emphasise that this SEO will not be in force until it has been signed by myself and approved by the Houses of the Oireachtas.

This Recommendation from the Labour Court recommends that the following minimum hourly rates of basic pay will apply in the sector from 18th September 2023 to 4th August 2024:

Craftsperson €21.49 per hour

Category A Worker €20.86 per hour

Category B Worker €19.35 per hour

Apprentice Year 1 - 33.33% of Craft Rate Year 2 - 50% of Craft Rate Year 3 - 75% of Craft Rate Year 4 - 90% of Craft Rate.

A minimum hourly rate of basic pay of €15.64 will apply for two years after entrance to the Sector to all New Entrant Operative Workers who are over the age of 18 years and entering the sector for the first time.