Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

This is the question I want to ask the Taoiseach. I want to know what he is prepared to say, further, because there is no relief in what he offers. Is he prepared to make any further statement that will give any hope or comfort to nurses, midwives, other frontline staff and to the dependent population?

On 2 February I asked the Taoiseach about the national minimum wage. In his response to Deputy Gilmore he indicated only that he did not know from where the question had arisen but he never answered it, either today to Deputy Gilmore or to this Deputy on 2 February. I ask again, will the Taoiseach give comfort to people in low-wage situations who are dependent on the minimum age to sustain any level of making ends meet by clearly stating the Government does not intend to interfere with the national minimum wage and will maintain and sustain it? I acknowledge that a Fianna Fáil-led Government introduced it in the first place. Will the Taoiseach now give comfort to those who are most concerned, those at the lowest income levels throughout the State, and state he will not countenance interference and reduction in the national minimum wage, as currently stated?

See this speech in context