Ms Rowena Dwyer:

We have not engaged with the Department of Social Protection on the question of family income supplement. I think the two issues are slightly unrelated. Even if there were an increase in the family income supplement while at the same time there was an increase in the minimum wage, that would be an increase in the employment costs that are being faced by employers at present. The IFA has not engaged with the Department on the family income supplement but I do not think the two issues are directly linked. I think an increase in the family income supplement would be linked if one were looking to reduce the minimum wage.