Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

It is a fair and just rate and by and large employers are happy to go along with the minimum level of pay. However, we acknowledge the point made by the Small Firms Association that compliance with the minimum wage level adds a burden which did not exist in the past. I am satisfied that €7 per hour is not an unreasonable level of minimum pay — if anything, it may be too low. That is not to say there is a great level of difficulty with compliance. By and large there are no problems with compliance. I have urged people, and do so again now, where there are examples of employers not complying with minimum wage levels, to bring such instances to the attention of our Department or the inspectorate and they will be investigated. We indicated that where there is non-compliance and an abuse of the system by employers, convictions should take place. Certainly, that has not been necessary as indicated by figures.

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