Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 4, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:“10BA.The Commission in the performance of the functions assigned to it by section 10C shall forward recommendations to the Minister regarding low pay that—

(a) reduces the incidence of low pay,

(b) considers access to public services,

(c) takes into account the standard of living, general wage levels and access to welfare supports to include social protection supports, universal healthcare provisions, State provided childcare and social housing,

(d) supports the phased introduction of a living wage.”.

This amendment considers poverty and low pay in the round because, in effect, low pay is people's ability to consume the necessary services and materials required for their family to be able to have a decent life. The level of public services, etc., has a strong effect on poverty. I refer to welfare supports, protections, etc. The Minister of State has stated on a number of occasions that he will be holding the first Government backed forum on the living wage concept in the autumn. He has said previously that it is crucial to bring employers, employees and representatives together with civil society organisations to discuss whether this concept could successfully be applied to Ireland but what is actually happening, in the dying days of this Government, is that a talking shop is being set up to examine these issues. Most of the individuals the Minister of State said would be put on that talking shop are members of the commission he has created. The only people he may need to add to this are individuals with a sociology and social policy background. That would complete the picture necessary for a commission to have the experiential background and desire to tackle these issues.

We are arguing strongly that the schedule of work being undertaken by the commission should not be limited to its annual recommendation on the hourly rate of the national minimum wage. We want it to live up to its name. It does not take these issues into consideration, and that is why I ask the Minister of State to support the amendment.

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