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

The minimum wage is not at that level. Indeed, it has slipped backwards. Given the facts that low wages are entrenched in the economy and we need a system to ensure that the minimum wage is a decent living wage, it is important that we use the Low Pay Commission in an effort to keep an eye on poverty, low wages and the minimum wage. Britain, which has more experience with a minimum wage and low pay commission than we do, is coming to the view that its commission needs a watchdog role. This view was echoed by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, MRCI. In its submission to the jobs committee, it called for our commission's remit to be expanded to include a watchdog role and for powers to be granted to it to set targets for reducing low pay across a number of areas.

Recently, IMPACT launched a report, entitled "JobBridge - Time to Start Again?", in which it sought for the JobBridge scheme to be scrapped and for the Low Pay Commission to be tasked with examining the prevalence of open market, unpaid internships. The report, spearheaded by Dr. Mary Murphy of Maynooth University, recommended that the commission report on the key patterns of paid and unpaid open market internships. Some 80,000 people are in job activation schemes, many of which do not offer those individuals the economic value of their work. People are being exploited, are not receiving extra training, have no opportunity to progress in their roles and are receiving low pay.

These two suggestions are innovative uses of the Low Pay Commission. They would benefit society and empower the commission to eradicate poverty. It is also noteworthy that the British are considering developing their Low Pay Commission further whereas we are seeking to replicate its original version. They are designing an iPad while we are designing the calculator. We need to ensure that we are ahead of the curve in developing mechanisms that eradicate low pay.

The Minister of State should not use this debate to say "No" to every amendment. Instead, the Government should listen to Opposition parties' positive proposals, not be partisan, focus on those proposals that would be of material benefit to individuals' pay packets and ability to look after their families and take some of these amendments on board.

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