Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 80 together.

The parties to the Mid-Term Review of Part Two of Sustaining Progress — Pay and the Workplace agreed to request the Labour Court to review the national minimum wage and to make a recommendation to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in accordance with the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, to apply with effect from 1 May 2005. In accordance with this commitment, the Labour Court has undertaken a review of the national minimum wage. Arising from this review, on 1 February 2005 the Labour Court recommended that the minimum wage be increased to €7.65 with effect from 1 May 2005. The national minimum wage legislation, allows a three-month period for my consideration of the Labour Court recommendation.

The Labour Court did not recommend any changes to the structure of the sub-minimum rates of the minimum wage nor is any currently proposed. However, any changes to the minimum wage, which may arise from this current review, would also impact on the sub-minimum rates as these are expressed in legislation as percentage rates of the national minimum wage. Therefore, if an increase to the minimum wage should become effective from 1 May, the sub-minimum rates would increase from that date also.

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