Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate what the Deputy has said, and for reasons the National Minimum Wage Commission considered in 2000 when the Act was introduced, the view was taken that what it wanted to do was encourage young people to remain in training and education and not move out of it into the workforce. This was the consideration of the time. I stand to be corrected, and I do not want to mislead the House in any way, but my understanding is that the rate was not necessarily paid to anybody. As I understand it, the vast majority of people, if not all, on the national minimum wage are paid €8.65 and not the sub-minimum rates. This was a consideration of the National Minimum Wage Commission in 2000. It is in the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 and it is what it considered to be appropriate at the time. I doubt there is any danger somebody is being paid below €8.65, regardless of age.

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