Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

On the basis that this issue must be addressed, there is also the issue of the minimum wage. We still have a minimum wage that is one of the highest in Europe and it has been raised in excess of inflation. These are difficult points and difficult structural reforms that have to be considered and implemented in the circumstances in which we find ourselves, but we need to proceed to make sure that we provide as much flexibility in the marketplace as possible. For many people in labour-intensive sectors like hospitality and elsewhere, we need to make sure that we can provide opportunities for our own people and that they can take up some of those opportunities.

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