Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Light. Between February 2015, when, as we are aware, the Low Pay Commission was established, and July 2021, prices increased by 4.4%. In February 2015, the minimum wage was €8.65, as we are aware, and in July 2021 the commission recommended a minimum wage of €10.50 an hour, which, naturally, the Government agreed to. That was a 21% increase over the same period when there was only a 4.5% increase in prices. Clearly, for a variety of reasons, we have seen much higher inflation most recently, and that needs to be addressed, but does Mandate accept that, prior to the recent surge in inflation, and certainly until July 2021, the Low Pay Commission was ensuring the situation of lower income workers was improving consistently?