Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

The concept of a living wage has to reflect the cost of everything else. The cost of child care in Ireland is among the highest in Europe due to the fact that it is not subsided in any way by the State.

Transport costs and the fact child benefit is paid must also be taken into account. All of these issues must be weighed when working out what the national living wage should be. It is welcome that the Government is pushing for this and I know that the Tánaiste agrees with the concept of a living wage. It is absolutely necessary to protect those who are the most vulnerable and in the type of jobs in which they are most subject to exploitation.

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