Mr. Diarmaid Smyth:

That is a very good question. It is something the Low Pay Commission has looked at in detail. I am conscious of where we are at the moment with the Irish economy. Employment has never been higher. We have had a really successful time in the past five years in adding jobs at multiple times the rates of other European countries. Inevitably, there will have to be some kind of slowdown in employment growth and the labour market. The concern is those with least experience or lower skills may be the first to be let go. I am speculating, but if an employer has an option between a 22-year-old person with three or four years' experience versus someone who is 16 or 17 with less experience, the youth rates, if they are still in existence, may create a better chance for some of the younger people to be kept in employment. If they are all paid the same wage rates but their experience levels differ, younger people may be the first to be let go. That is one of the arguments.

In fairness, the work that is being done on this in academic research has found that some of the employment arguments are a little weak. They are not particularly strong. To agree with one of the Deputy's points, the employment effects do not look huge at the moment but I am conscious of where we are in the cycle and where employment is. That may change in a downturn.