Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I indicated to Deputy Kenny that the Government has no problem considering returning a week previous to the appointed date for return on a day of that week yet to be decided. We can decide on this. The second matter is a subject of the budget announcement today and it has already been indicated in the programme that there will be a reduction in the minimum wage of €1 in an effort to improve employment prospects for people. It is important that this would be given a statutory basis as quickly as possible so it could well be dealt with this week also.

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