Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This point is related to Deputy Doherty's amendment. It has been what I would describe as the convention since the Low Pay Commission was established that where adjustments would be required to the lower rate of the USC and to employees PRSI, they would be made on an annual basis to take account of national minimum wage increases and increases to the hourly rate. This is based on the commitment that when a minimum wage increase is delivered and agreed that as much of the increase as possible should go to the worker. Will the Minister take the opportunity to put on the record any commitment he has made, or any work that is going on in the Department, to take account of the expected rises to the minimum wage over the next two to three years to meet the living wage threshold?

Broadly speaking, if the Minister is prepared to discuss them, what USC or PRSI implications will there be for those increases ? What work is going on in the Department to continue to accept the convention that when an increase to the national minimum wage occurs, workers get to take home, if not all, as much of that increase as possible?