Ms Julia Marciniak:

I will start on the issue of the minimum wage being one of the highest in Europe. The cost of living is definitely very high at the moment in Ireland, especially in Dublin. It is one of the most expensive cities in the world at the moment. We are looking at people receiving the minimum wage, which puts them on less than €400 a week. To rent a room, they have to pay approximately €800. It is not relevant because the high cost of living means the minimum wage is just way too low.

When it comes to the PUP and the impact on employment, the blame is definitely not on people who are getting minimum supports to survive. We have to make sure that the wages for work are compensatory to a minimum that will allow people to make it through the month and pay their bills. If the employers cannot offer anything, such as an hours' contract or any stability-----