Mr. Liam Berney:

I might add one point. In our submission, we talked about the transposition of a new European directive on minimum wages.

An important part of that directive is the issue of extending collective bargaining coverage to 80% in the economy. Research shows that the most effective way of combatting poverty and increasing wealth redistribution is through collective bargaining procedures at the level of the sector, of the enterprise or at a national level. Over time, as collective bargaining coverage increases in the economy through the implementation of the directive, the type of issues to which Deputy Bruton referred will become less relevant, because collective bargaining will produce better outcomes for workers. It will produce a more equal society and it will reduce poverty. In our view that is the most effective way of dealing with wage adequacy in the economy.