Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I have one question for the Taoiseach. It relates to the Government's intention to cut the national minimum wage by €1 per hour. As I understand it, this cannot be done by way of ministerial order in the absence of a Labour Court recommendation or a national agreement to that effect. Primary legislation will be required if the Government wants to proceed with its intention to cut the national minimum wage. Does the Government intend to introduce a Bill to cut the minimum wage? Of everything we have heard in recent times, this is the one measure with which the Government should not proceed. People on the lowest level of pay should not have it cut. The Government should abandon this idea.

See this speech in context