Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The notion that we have the lowest pay in the OECD is not true; we do not have the lowest pay. One can see what Greece is paying. It wants to increase its monthly minimum wage to something of the order of €750. Therefore, the progress we have made is remarkable. We have put people back to work and have stabilised our economic fortunes. Bluntly, had we followed the path mapped out by Deputy McDonald and her party leader, we would be in a crisis right now with mass unemployment and social unrest. Of course, there are those on the Opposition benches who would like us to be in that position.

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