Dr. Donal de Buitléir:

The Low Pay Commission is widely representative. As the other members came though an appointment process, they have a wide range of experience. We have advertised for submissions, the closing date for the receipt of which was yesterday.

Part of the difficulty this year is that the timescale is very tight. We must report by 15 July. This is the date by which we will report every year. If we do not get it right the first time, we will have another chance.

I will be seeking wide-ranging opinions, as one must hear people's real experiences. The only problem is whether we can do this in the time available, in the first round.

The Deputy asked about public hearings. I hope we will have a chance to seek a range of opinions on the topic. The normal procedure is that one consult people orally. Our first job is to review the submissions and decide on the aspects we want to explore with individual organisations or individuals.