Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

It is a cut rather than a levy. Will the Minister of State outline whether the Government considered a levy rather than a cut?

Let me deal with the minimum wage. While we all believe the country should be competitive, we must strike a balance. The Taoiseach's salary was €228,187 and is being reduced by €14,000, bringing it down to €214,187. This is a reduction of roughly 6%, yet the minimum wage has decreased from €8.65 to €7.65, representing a reduction of 12%, almost double that applicable to the Taoiseach.

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